Deep Fried Steamed Duck Stuffed With Lotus Seeds Recipes

CHINATOWN STEAMED AND ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Duck is notoriously a fatty bird, to diminish the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze. Stick the whole thing in the oven. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve.

STEAMED AND CRISPED DUCK

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix all ingredients except duck. Rub mixture on duck, inside and out. Put duck in dish, breast side down. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, take duck out of refrigerator, and let it warm to room temperature. Place duck on steamer tray or rack small enough to fit into a wok. Fill wok with water up to bottom edge of tray; bring to boil. Place tray over boiling water, cover with lid or foil and steam duck over high heat until extremely tender, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Replenish boiling water when necessary.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer duck to cutting board, and let cool. Quarter the duck. Heat large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add duck pieces, skin side down; saute until skin begins to sizzle and brown, for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, and crisp skin for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Turn again, cover and cook in oven until heated through, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer pieces to platter; serve.

STEAMED DUCK, BONED AND STUFFED

Steps:

• 1. Bone duck (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone), leaving shape and skin intact. Hang up to dry in a cool, airy place 1 to 2 hours. Meanwhile soak mushrooms blanch lotus seeds. 2. Mince or grind pork and smoked ham. Mince water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, ginger root, soaked mushrooms and blanched lotus seeds. Mix well with stock, soy sauce, sherry, oil, salt and cooked rice. Stuff mixture into duck cavity and sew up securely or skewer. 3. Place bird in a large heatproof bowl. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until duck is tender (1 1/2 to 2 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. Cut in 1/2-inch slices and serve hot. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

BASIC STEAMED DEEP-FRIED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Rub liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour. 2. Place bird in a deep, heatproof bowl and steam 1 1/2 to 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 3. Drain duck and let cool. Wipe dry, then truss (see HOW-TO, _Poultry: To truss). 4. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning, until golden. Drain on paper toweling. 5. Let duck cool slightly, then chop, bones and all, in bite-size pieces. Serve with scallion brushes (see HOW-TO, _Onion Brushes: To make), a plum or hoisin sauce dip, or any other dip for deep-fried duck (see Seasonings and Sauces, Deep-Fried Duck Dip). NOTE: The technique of double-frying can be used here. In step 4, deep-fry the duck 5 minutes, lift out reheat the oil. Then return the bird and deep-fry again until crisp and golden. VARIATIONS: * In step 1, rub duck with any of the following mixtures: 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon anise pepper and 1/8 teaspoon Five Spices 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed and 1/2 teaspoon Five Spices 1 to 2 scallion stalks and 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, both minced 1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed and 2 teaspoons salt * In step 2, before steaming, add to bowl with duck 2 scallion stalks and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root. * In step 3, before trussing duck, coat with a mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce or 3 tablespoons flour and 1 egg, lightly beaten. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

STEAMED DUCK STUFFED WITH CHINESE LETTUCE

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Dry well with paper toweling, or hang up to dry in a cool, airy place 1 to 2 hours. 2. Blanch lotus seeds. Slice ham cut Chinese lettuce in 1-inch sections. 3. Combine half of Chinese lettuce sections with lotus seeds and ham. Add salt and mix well. Stuff mixture into duck and sew up securely or skewer. 4. Heat oil in a large pan and brown duck quickly. 5. Place remaining lettuce sections in a large heatproof bowl then put duck on top. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until duck is tender (about 2 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

DEEP-FRIED STEAMED DUCK STUFFED WITH LOTUS SEEDS

Steps:

• 1. Bone duck (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone), leaving shape and skin intact. Hang up to dry in a cool, airy place 1 to 2 hours then rub skin lightly with soy sauce. 2. Separately soak barley, dried mushrooms and tangerine peel. Blanch lotus seeds. Shell and blanch ginkgo nuts. 3. Coarsely chop ham and soaked mushrooms. Mix well with drained barley, lotus seeds, ginkgo nuts, salt and sugar. Stuff mixture into duck cavity, then sew up securely or skewer. 4. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning, until golden. Drain on paper toweling. 5. Transfer duck to a heatproof bowl. Stem parsley trim off scallion roots then place over duck, along with star anise and soaked tangerine peel. 6. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until done (2 to 2 1/2 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 7.Discard duck topping. Let bird cool slightly, then cut in 1/2-inch slices. 8. Heat stock in a saucepan. Stir in pepper, remaining salt and soy sauce. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir into stock to thicken. Pour over duck slices and serve, garnished with remaining parsley. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.