DUCK WITH NOODLES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Season the duck leg with sea salt and black pepper and place in a 5 x 30cm high sided roasting tray. Roast for 1½ hours, or until tender and cooked through.
  3. Transfer the duck to a plate and leave to cool slightly. (At this point you can carefully pour the duck fat from the tray into a clean jar and keep in the fridge for roasting potatoes.)
  4. Place the tray on a medium-high heat, then add 300ml of water and a splash of red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer, scraping all the lovely sticky bits from the bottom of the pan, and stir through 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then use tongs to transfer them to the tray and mix well, so they soak up all the lovely juices.
  5. Once the duck is cool enough to handle, shred it from the bone and separate the skin. Add the skin to a dry frying pan on a medium-high heat and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until crisp, then set aside. Pop the pan back on the heat and add the shredded duck meat for 2 minutes, then add the remaining hoisin sauce. Cook for 2 further minutes, until crispy and sticky.
  6. Meanwhile, pick the leaves from the herbs, and slice the cucumber, spring onions and sugar snap peas.
  7. Divide the noodles between serving bowls, pouring over any remaining juices. Top with the hoisin duck and crispy skin, with the herbs and crunchy veg alongside and tuck in!

Steps:

• Prepare noodles according to package directions. (Note: My udon had fairly elaborate directions involving: three boilings, the addition of cold water, a 5 minute "rest" after boiling, and a final rinse in cold water. Though this seemed overly fussy, I followed the directions exactly and was rewarded with the best home-cooked dry noodles/pasta I've ever eaten. So follow the directions for best results :-).).
• Rinse "duck" thoroughly. Dry with a paper towel and slice into bite-size pieces.
• Heat oil and black beans (smashed slightly) in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and "duck". Stir-fry for about three minutes, until vegetables start to soften.
• Add ginger, garlic, scallions, and chili flakes. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked.
• Meanwhile combine sauce ingredients in a 2 c measuring cup, adding enough water to make a total of 3/4 cups sauce. Stir very well to incorporate cornstarch.
• Add sauce mixture to stir fry, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes until it bubbles and thickens.
• Add cooked noodles to the pan and stir to combine. Serve hot.