Basic Red Simmered Duck Food

STEAMED DEEP-FRIED PRESSED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Blanch, toast and sliver almonds. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Combine soy sauce, salt and sugar and rub over duck skin. Pour remainder into duck cavity, swishing it around to coat the interior. Drain off excess and discard. 3. Put duck in a deep heatproof bowl. Cut celery in 3 or 4 pieces trim off scallion roots and arrange over duck. Steam 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 4. Drain duck, reserving liquid for stock. Let bird cool slightly then bone, leaving skin and original shape intact (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone). Transfer duck to a large flat plate or cutting board. 5. With both hands, press down on duck, flattening it to a 3/4-inch thickness. Then sprinkle generously on both sides with cornstarch. Return bird to heatproof bowl and steam 30 minutes more. Let cool, then cut in quarters. 6. Heat oil to boiling. Add duck, one quarter at a time, and deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly then cut bird in 1 1/2-inch squares, each with some skin. Keep warm. 7. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, catsup, hot sauce and remaining soy sauce and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile blend remaining cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken. 8. Shred lettuce and arrange on a serving platter with duck squares on top. Pour sauce over and serve, garnished with toasted almonds. NOTE: This dish is also known as War Shu Opp.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

SIMMERED DUCK WITH CABBAGE & POTATO

Steps:

• Heat a small saucepan (one with a lid) on a medium heat. Season the breast, lay it skin side down in the pan and reduce the heat to the lowest it will go. Leave to sizzle for about 15 minutes, uncovered, until the skin is golden and crisp and has rendered most of its fat. Don't shake the pan or move the duck.
• Remove the duck (the meat side will be raw). Pour out just over half the fat (save it for frying vegetables another time) and turn up the heat slightly. Add the bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes until starting to crisp. Add the potato, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potato looks sticky and has just started to brown at the edges.
• Tip in the cabbage and stir until glossy, then pour in the stock. Nestle the duck, skin side up, among the cabbage and potato and cover the pan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the veg is tender and the duck cooked. Remove the duck from the pan and stir in the parsley and garlic. To serve, spoon the veg, bacon and juice on to a plate and sit the duck on top. Pour a glass of wine and enjoy the flavours of autumn.

SIMMERED DEEP-FRIED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Disjoint and place in a heavy pan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 40 minutes. 2. Meanwhile blanch, toast and sliver almonds. Drain canned mushrooms. Shred lettuce and arrange on a serving platter. 3. Drain duck, reserving liquid. Let bird cool slightly then bone and cut meat in 1/2-inch squares, each with some skin. Skim fat off duck liquid. 4. Beat eggs lightly. Mix to a smooth batter with cornstarch, water, salt and pepper. Dip duck squares in batter to coat. 5. Heat oil. Add coated duck squares, a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper toweling. Arrange on lettuce bed. 6. Reheat duck broth. Add canned mushrooms and remaining salt and pepper. Meanwhile blend remaining cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken. Pour sauce over duck squares and serve, garnished with almonds. VARIATION: * Leave the duck whole. In step 1, add to pan 1/2 tablespoon salt 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 scallion 2 slices fresh ginger root 1 garlic clove, crushed and 2 cloves star anise. Simmer 1 1/2 hours. Drain and cool then chop bird, bones and all, in 2-inch sections. Dry and deep-fry without batter. Serve hot with a pepper-salt mix (see Seasonings and Sauces, Basic Pepper-Salt Mix). The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

BASIC RED-SIMMERED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Place breast-side up in a heavy saucepan, tucking wings under body. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. 2. Meanwhile cut scallions in 3·inch sections and slice ginger root. Then add both, along with soy sauce, sherry and salt. Simmer, covered, 1 hour. 3. Turn bird over. Add sugar and simmer until done (about 1 hour more). 4. Cut breast meat against the grain in slices 1/2·inch thick. Arrange on a serving platter, reconstructing the shape of the breast. (Or chop duck, bones and all, in 2-inch sections.) Serve hot, with or without gravy. The gravy may be reserved for la ter use as a master sauce (see Seasonings and Sauces, *Master Sauce). Or serve cold. NOTE: The duck is done when the meat is so tender it nearly falls from the bones. VARIATIONS: * In step 1, use 1/3 stock, 2/3 water. * In step 2, add 5 dried black mushrooms (soaked) and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. * Use 12 to 15 whole scallions (trim root ends, but keep stalks and green leaves intact). Toss scallions in a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar, then place in duck cavity with the ginger root. Bring to a boil as in step 1, then cook with seasonings as in steps 2 and 3. Serve bird whole with gravy. * For a smaller duck (3 to 4 pounds) use only 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sherry and 1 teaspoon sugar. Cook 1 1/2 hours, basting and turning for even coloring. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.