Red Cooked Shanghai Duck Recipes

CHINESE ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• The day before, soak 4 wooden skewers in water for 20 mins. Wash the ducks inside and out with cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix together the sugar, star anise, ginger, spring onions and a few good pinches of salt, then use this to fill the cavities. Close the cavities with wooden skewers and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the maltose and 2 tbsp of the vinegar. Add the remaining vinegar to a jug of boiling water and pour over the ducks. (The boiling water opens up the pores, while the vinegar helps to strip some of the waxiness from the skin, so it will be more receptive to the maltose, which adds sweetness and a lacquered caramel colour.) Smear the maltose mixture over the ducks, then place them in a large plastic container and put in the fridge overnight, uncovered.
• To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. (Fan ovens are particularly effective for roasting duck.) Put a little water in the bottom of a large roasting tin, place the ducks on a rack over the top and cover with foil. Roast for about 45 mins. Take off the foil and roast for another 45 mins - the duck must be well done, there is no such thing as a rare Chinese roast duck! Take the duck out of the oven and let it rest for a good 20 mins before carving.
• The day before, soak 4 wooden skewers in water for 20 mins. Wash the ducks inside and out with cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix together the sugar, star anise, ginger, spring onions and a few good pinches of salt, then use this to fill the cavities. Close the cavities with wooden skewers and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the maltose and 2 tbsp of the vinegar. Add the remaining vinegar to a jug of boiling water and pour over the ducks. (The boiling water opens up the pores, while the vinegar helps to strip some of the waxiness from the skin, so it will be more receptive to the maltose, which adds sweetness and a lacquered caramel colour.) Smear the maltose mixture over the ducks, then place them in a large plastic container and put in the fridge overnight, uncovered.
• To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. (Fan ovens are particularly effective for roasting duck.) Put a little water in the bottom of a large roasting tin, place the ducks on a rack over the top and cover with foil. Roast for about 45 mins. Take off the foil and roast for another 45 mins - the duck must be well done, there is no such thing as a rare Chinese roast duck! Take the duck out of the oven and let it rest for a good 20 mins before carving.

SHANGHAI DUCK

Steps:

• Put the scallions, star anise and ginger root in a heavy pot, on the top of your stove.
• Place the duck, breast side up in the pot.
• Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the duck.
• Cover and bring just to a boil.
• Simmer for about two hours or until tender, turning every half-hour.
• Pre-Heat Oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove duck from pan and place on a shallow baking dish.
• rub honey on duck.
• place duck in oven just until crispy -- this does not take long and should not be left alone.
• Once crisp, remove and serve!
• Reserve liquid and serve at the table as a sauce.

RED-COOKED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut away and discard the peripheral fat and skin from the duck. That is to say, the fat from the cavity, the excess skin around the neck and cavity opening and so on.
• Brush the duck all over with one tablespoon of the dark soy sauce. Place on a rack, breast side up, and roast for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine in a kettle the remaining dark soy sauce, the light soy sauce, cold water, shaoxing or dry Sherry, rock sugar, ginger, scallions, star anise and tangerine or orange peel. Set aside.
• Remove the duck from the roasting pan and add it, breast side down, to the sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes.
• Turn the duck in the sauce. Cover and return to the boil. Let simmer 30 minutes. The duck may be eaten at this point, hot or cold. If you are using it to make the many-flavor duck salad, see the recipe.

RED-COOKED ON-AND-OFF DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck with a damp cloth and chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections. Place in a heavy pan. Cut scallions in 1-inch sections, slice ginger root and add, along with sherry, soy sauce, anise pepper and sugar. 2. Cook, covered, 20 minutes over medium heat. Turn off heat. (Do not remove lid.) Let stand 15 minutes. 3. Turn heat to low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Turn off heat. (Do not remove lid.) Let stand 10 minutes. 4. Turn on low heat again and simmer, covered, 15 minutes more. Turn off heat. (Do not remove lid.) Let stand 30 minutes, then serve. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

RED-COOKED SHANGHAI DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Cut scallions in 3-inch sections slice ginger root. Place in a large heavy pan, along with duck giblets and star anise. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Place in pan breast-side down. 2. Combine sugar, soy sauce, water and sherry and pour over duck. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, 45 minutes. 3. Turn bird over and simmer, covered, 45 minutes more. Let duck and liquid cool, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off the fat that rises to the top. 4. Heat duck and liquid, uncovered, over a medium flame, basting frequently until duck skin is dark brown and the liquid reduced to a cupful (about 15 minutes). VARIATION: * For the white sugar, substitute brown sugar. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork, particularly around the breast. Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, mirin, honey, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Place the duck in a shallow dish, add half of the hoisin mixture and turn to coat well. Marinate several hours or overnight, turning the duck frequently.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the duck on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Discard the marinade from the duck. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and prick the duck again.
• Continue roasting, uncovered, until the juices run slightly pink when pricked in the thickest part of the thigh, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the orange juice into the remaining hoisin mixture. Carve the duck and serve, passing the sauce for dipping.