One dish my wife misses during our stay in Happy Valley is Cantonese roast duck. Fresh duck is not commonly sold in the US. During our stay, we have tried roasting duck once, during the Chinese New Year.
To prepare the duck, remove the giblets, clean the inside and the outside of the bird thoroughly, allow to drain, and pat dry thoroughly. Mix the marinade (2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp five-spice powder, star anise, ground ginger powder, 1 bay leaf) and use it to season the duck (from the inside, ie. cavity) making sure none of the marinade touches the outer skin. Seal the opening with a small skewer.
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Plunge the duck into fiercely boiling water for 5 secs, remove and immediately plunge into ice water for 5 secs to stop the cooking. Remove duck and dry it.
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Before the duck is ready for roasting, it needs to be dried in a cool, well-ventilated place for 8 - 12 hours.
Before the duck is ready for roasting, it needs to be dried in a cool, well-ventilated place for 8 - 12 hours.
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Roast the duck in the oven at 300*F (150*C) for 40 mins, breast side upward on a rack over a roasting pan, then turn and roast another 35 mins.
Cut the duck and serve.
The roasted duck gets a last shower of hot oil to give it a sheen, and the long and meticulous preparation is finally completed.
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Another variation of the roast duck is the Peking duck - served in a wrapper of wafer-thin pancake, in which the crispy duck skin is combined with fresh green onions (scallions) and the aromatic sauce.
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To make the aromatic sauce, mix all the ingredients (2 tbs sugar, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 2 tbs soybean paste, 3 tbs hoisin sauce, 2 tbs sesame oil). Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan, pour in the mixture, and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
To make the aromatic sauce, mix all the ingredients (2 tbs sugar, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 2 tbs soybean paste, 3 tbs hoisin sauce, 2 tbs sesame oil). Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan, pour in the mixture, and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
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There are minor variations in the preparation of the Peking duck, but the basic treatment, which involves scalding the duck, glazing the skin, and hanging it up to dry before cooking (see left), is always the same.
