Orange Peking Duck Food

DUCK A L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Use a sharp knife to score the skin side of the duck breasts in 2 directions, about 20 slashes per direction. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Reserve in the refrigerator.
• Cut off 1 end so the orange can stand on the cutting board, and slice off 2 (2-inch) strips of zest. Cut the zest into fine julienne, then blanch the zest for 1 minute in the cup of boiling water. Juice the orange, strain the juice into a saucepan, and boil it until it's reduced to about 1 tablespoon.
• If you're using the kumquats instead, cut the round ends off the kumquats and eat or discard them. Set the kumquats on 1 end and use a sharp paring knife to trim the zest off three of them. Cut all the kumquats in half lengthwise, and working over a strainer set in a non-reactive bowl, remove the pulp with a small spoon. Push the pulp against the strainer to extract the juice. (Don't worry if you end up with only a tablespoon or 2.) Place the kumquat zests on a cutting board and slice them into fine julienne. Bring the 1/2 cup water to a boil over high heat, blanch the zests for 1 minute, then drain them in a strainer.
• If you're using concentrated duck broth, reduce it in a small saucepan to about 2 tablespoons until it's lightly syrupy.
• Heat a saute pan over medium to high heat and saute the duck breasts, skin side down, 8 to 10 minutes for the Pekin duck breasts and 12 to 18 minutes for the mallard. Turn the breasts over, adjust the heat to high, and cook for 1 minute for the Pekin duck and 2 minutes for the mallard.
• Pour the fat out of the pan ¿ if it hasn't burned, save it for omelets ¿ and deglaze the pan with the reduced kumquats or orange juice. Use a whisk to add the glaze. Add the sugar, Grand Marnier, kumquat or orange zest, and vinegar, and simmer the sauce for about 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol. At this point, adjust the thickness of the sauce ¿ its consistency is up to you, but many cooks make their sauces too thick; add 1 or 2 teaspoons water to thin it or simmer the sauce for a moment to reduce and thicken it. Whisk in the cold butter, keeping the pan and whisk moving until all the butter melts. (Don't let it sit without whisking or the butter will separate.) Season, to taste, with the pepper, and if necessary, a few more drops of vinegar.
• Slice the breasts crosswise, arrange the slices on individual heated plates, and spoon the sauce over the breasts. Serve hot, with orange wedges if desired.

PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• For the duck: Prick the duck all over with a small knife or fork. Carefully pour hot water over the duck to rinse. Discard the hot water. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and dry all over by patting it with paper towels. Sprinkle the duck with salt and pepper and leave it in the roasting pan until ready to cook.
• In a small bowl, mix together the honey, 6 tablespoons water, five-spice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Brush the duck all over, inside and out. Let dry for about 10 minutes and then brush again. Repeat this process until you have used all but 4 to 5 tablespoons of the glaze (reserve this glaze). Ideally, let the glaze marinate on the duck overnight, leaving it uncovered in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the duck in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Flip the duck over, baste with the reserved glaze and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, another 45 minutes. Make sure you check halfway through that it is not getting too dark. If it is getting too dark before half the cook time is up, turn your heat down and lower the rack in the oven. When the duck is cooked, remove from the oven and let rest while you make your sauce.
• For the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and set aside. Next, heat a pan or wok over medium heat and add the hoisin, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce. When the sauce starts to bubble slightly, add the cornstarch mixture and stir well to thicken. Set aside and let cool. Carve and slice some duck. Place a teaspoon of the sauce in the center of each pancake, add a couple slices of duck, garnish with the scallions and cucumbers and serve immediately.

ORANGE PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• Make syrup:
• Bring syrup ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring, then simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
• Season duck:
• While syrup is simmering, fold neck skin of duck under body and fasten with a small skewer.
• Stir together five-spice powder, salt, and pepper, then rub inside cavity. Put duck on a rack set in a roasting pan.
• Coat and dry duck:
• Ladle hot syrup over duck (do not ladle any into cavity), turning duck occasionally to coat all over. Discard syrup in roasting pan and set duck, breast side up, on rack in pan. Prop rack up over a short edge of pan so duck is tilted (large-cavity side down) to facilitate draining of any moisture it gives off. (To prevent rack from slipping, put a piece of crumpled plastic wrap between pan and rack.)
• Dry duck, uncovered and chilled in refrigerator, 3 days.
• Roast duck:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Let duck stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Remove plastic wrap and set rack back into pan. Stuff duck with orange quarters and ginger and close cavity opening with a wooden skewer. Prick duck all over with tip of a sharp paring knife and pour 1 cup water into pan.
• Roast duck in middle of oven 1 1/2 hours. Increase oven temperature to 450°F and roast until skin is dark brown and very crisp and a thermometer inserted in thick part of thigh registers 170°F, 25 to 30 minutes more.
• Transfer duck to a heated serving platter and remove cavity skewer. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.

PEKING DUCK (FRUGAL GOURMET)

Steps:

• Remove giblets from inside the duck. Remove the excess fat that hangs about the tail.
• Rub 1 T salt into tho skin and let the duck dry for 1 hour.
• Saute' the orange peel, the 2 chopped green onions, and garlic in the peanut oil for a moment.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon hoisin and the soy sauce. Simmer for a moment, and add the chicken broth. Allow mixture to cool.
• Wipe the duck dry with paper towels.
• Using poultry lacing needles, firmly lace up the neck and tie it closed with twine.
• Begin lacing up the rear end leaving enough space to fill the cavity with sauce.
• After pouring sauce into cavity, finish lacing up the bird, making sure the sauce does not leak out either end! This is very important, it needs to be airtight for the next fun step.
• Now, using the basketball needle and a tire pump, insert the needle into the neck of the bird, just under the skin and on the body side of the string used for the upper neck. Place a 2nd piece of string around the neck just above the point of the needle insertion so that you can tie the neck tightly after pumping the bird like a balloon. Now, slowly and carefully pump up the bird until the skin separates from the meat, remove the needle and quickly tie off the bird (two people for this step really helps).
• The success of the dish depends on the bird being air tight.
• In a large kettle bring 6 quarts water to boil. Add the honey. Make a sling out of one piece of fabric and use it to lower the duck onto the honey water. Roll it gently for a few moments. Don't lose the duck!
• Now remove the duck from the water, and bring the wings around to the back of the bird, and slip a long piece of fabric under the wings.
• Hang the duck so that it swings freely from the sling, in a cool place (we put it in the shower) and aim a fan at it for 3 - 4 hours.
• Play games (Chinese Checkers, Mah Jong, etc) with the family.
• Remove the bird from its roost, and place it gently in a greased roasting rack. Roast for 30 minutes at 425 degrees F.
• Turn the oven to 350 degrees F until you have roasted the duck for a TOTAL TIME of 18 minutes per pound. (Include the first 30 minutes in your time).
• Place a pan of water under the duck to catch the drippings (without smoke - hence the water).
• Remove from oven and allow to rest for a moment.
• Drain the juice and serve in separate bowl.
• The skin is the highlight of the recipe, but the entire duck is amazing!

PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• Rinse the duck inside and out, and pat dry. Cut off tail and discard. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and cloves. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the mixture into the cavity of the duck. Stir one tablespoon of the soy sauce into the remaining spice mixture and rub evenly over the entire outside of the bird. Cut one of the green onions in half and tuck inside the cavity. Cover and refrigerate the bird for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Place duck breast side up on a rack in a big enough wok or pot and steam for an hour adding a little more water, if necessary, as it evaporates. Lift duck with two large spoons, and drain juices and green onion.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place duck breast side up in a roasting pan and prick skin all over using a fork.
• Roast for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. While the duck is roasting, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and honey. After 30 minutes, brush the honey mixture onto the duck and return it to the oven. Turn the heat up to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Roast for 5 minutes, or until the skin is richly browned. Do not allow the skin to char.
• Prepare the duck sauce by mixing the plum jam with the sugar, vinegar and chutney in a small serving bowl. Chop remaining green onions and place them into a separate bowl. Place whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Use plum sauce and onions for dipping.

ROAST DUCK WITH ORANGE AND GINGER

Steps:

• Rinse duck and pat dry. Remove neck and giblets and save for another purpose. Remove excess fat from cavity and tail area and trim off a bit of flappy neck skin. Prick duck skin all over with tip of sharp paring knife, making sure not to penetrate meat.
• Mix together salt and 5-spice powder. Season interior of duck with 1 tablespoon salt mixture; use remainder to generously season exterior (you may have a little left over). Combine orange zest with grated ginger and garlic, then smear mixture inside cavity. Place orange wedges in cavity. Tie legs together. Secure neck flap with wooden skewer or toothpicks. Place duck on rack in roasting pan breast-side-up and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, bring duck to room temperature and make the glaze: Bring orange juice, honey, sugar and soy sauce to a simmer. Add sliced ginger and star anise, then reduce mixture until you have a medium-thick syrup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Roast duck for 2 hours, carefully pouring off fat and turning duck over every 30 minutes. Paint with glaze and roast another 30 minutes (2 1/2 hours in all). Tent with foil if glaze begins to get too dark. Duck is done when temperature at thickest part of leg reads 165 degrees. Paint duck once more, keep warm and let rest 20 minutes. Use poultry shears to cut into quarters (remove backbone first) or carve in the traditional way, removing legs from carcass and slicing breast. Serve with mashed butternut squash if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S ORANGE DUCK

Steps:

• Score duck skin almost all the way through the skin and fat each way on the diagonal in a crosshatch pattern. Generously season with salt and rub salt into each breast. Let rest, skin-side up, at room temperature, for 15 minutes.
• Whisk chicken broth, orange liqueur, sherry vinegar, orange marmalade, orange zest, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
• Pat duck breasts dry with paper towels. Re-season skin-side of duck breasts with salt.
• Heat duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Place duck in skillet, skin-side down, and cook for 6 minutes. Flip duck breasts and cook until they start to firm and are reddish-pink and juicy in the center, about 4 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Transfer breasts to a plate to rest. Pour any rendered duck fat into a glass jar.
• Return skillet to medium heat and whisk flour into pan; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Pour orange mixture into skillet; bring to a boil. Cook until sauce thickens and is reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. When orange mixture stops bubbling, add butter; stir until butter is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce, about 1 minute. Season with salt to taste.
• Slice duck breasts across the grain, arrange on a plate, and spoon orange sauce over the top.