Roast Plum Duck Puffs Recipes

ROAST SPICED DUCK WITH PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Toast the star anise and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a spice grinder with 2 tsp sea salt and grind into a fine powder (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Put the spice salt in a bowl, add the sugar, mix well and set aside.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern and heat the oil in a large casserole. Using a pair of tongs to turn it, brown the duck well on all sides, pour off the excess fat, then sit the duck breast-side up and season all over with the sugar and spice mix. Pack the plums around the outside, then scatter over the bay and pour over the vinegar and stock.
• Roast in the oven for 2 hrs or until the duck is golden and the plums have broken down. Turn the oven right up for 10 more mins to crisp up the skin. Take the duck out of the pan to rest for 10 mins and spoon the excess fat off the plums. Carve the duck and serve with a good spoonful of plums.

ROAST PLUM DUCK PUFFS

Steps:

• Mix the ginger with the soy and plum sauces, oil and honey in a deep dish, then add the duck legs, turning to coat. Cover and chill for at least 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Lift the duck legs onto a non-stick baking tray, then roast for 1½ hrs until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, tip the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and simmer for 2 mins, then cool. When the duck is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the meat. Mix with the cooled marinade and spring onions.
• Unroll the pastry onto a floured surface and roll it out even thinner until you have a sheet large enough to stamp out 10 circles using a 9-10cm round cutter. Put 2 tsp of the duck filling in the middle of each circle, brush the edges of pastry with a little egg, then fold the pastry circles in half, pressing to seal so you have a half-moon shape (any remaining duck makes a great filling for wraps). Transfer the puffs to a baking sheet and brush with more egg. Can be frozen for up to 1 month. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden, or 5 mins longer from frozen.

ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Rub salt, pepper, and paprika into the skin of the duck. Place in a roasting pan.
• Roast duck in preheated oven for 1 hour. Spoon 1/4 cup melted butter over bird, and continue cooking for 45 more minutes. Spoon remaining 1/4 cup melted butter over duck, and cook for 15 more minutes, or until golden brown.

PLUM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add 1 cup plum pulp (see instructions at end of recipe), cream, egg, and 1/4 cup melted butter and stir until combined (should still be lumpy, not smooth).
• Spoon batter into muffin cups to about 2/3 full. Bake about 20 minutes or until centers are set. Remove puffs from pan immediately.
• While puffs are baking, combine cinnamon and sugar. As soon as the puffs are removed from the pan, dip tops into melted butter, then into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• To make plum pulp: Wash plums and place in a large pot. Add a little water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to pot--just enough to make some steam. Cover and heat over very low heat until the fruit is soft. Pour the juice and some fruit into a colander set over a large bowl (to catch juices and pulp). Mash the fruit around with a potato masher (not too hard--you don't want to break the pits!) until most of the pulp and skins have been pressed through the colander. Discard the pits, add some more fruit to the colander, and repeat until all the fruit has been pressed through. 2 lbs of plums should yield about 3 cups pulp, which may be used for this recipe, frozen in containers or freezer bags, or made into jam. Look for European plums, not Asian plums as they are not as good for cooking.