PEKING DUCK BUNS RECIPES

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.

Steps:

• For the duck: Clean and eviscerate the duck, making as small an opening as possible. Rinse the duck inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. With a large eyed needle and thread or thin string, sew up the cavity to make the duck air-tight. Insert a straw or basting tube into the hole at the neck. Blow up the duck to separate the skin from the flesh. The duck should blow up like a balloon. Immediately tie a noose around the neck. Once the duck is blown up, do not lay it down.
• Meanwhile, bring 12 cups water to a boil in a large deep pot that can hold the duck. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
• Dunk the prepared duck into the sweet water. You will see the pores and skin tighten. Be sure to dunk all the duck skin, using a ladle to spoon water over the duck if necessary. Remove and immediately hang to dry at room temperature. Ideally, this step should take 5 to 6 hours. When the duck skin feels like parchment, it is ready to roast.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To keep your oven clean, line a pan with aluminum foil and spread a layer of sand or unscented kitty litter thinly over it. Place on the bottom of the oven. This is to catch any dripping fat.
• Place the duck, breast-side up, directly on the oven rack and roast until the duck is mahogany in color, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and immediately slice the skin off the duck. Serve the duck skin with the steamed yeast buns, cucumber matchsticks, scallion flowers and hoisin sauce.
• For the stir-fry: Shred the duck meat. Combine the cubed ginger, chestnuts, tree ears, mushrooms and carrot in a bowl. Combine the bean sauce, wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add the minced ginger and half of the scallions and all of the vegetables. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing to mix well. Add the duck meat and continue stir frying until the meat is heated through. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom water. Add the sauce, stir to blend and thicken with a little slurry so the sauce will cling to the meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve.