Peking, and No-Peeking, Chicken and Duck

Peking Duck-is a dish made famous long ago by the Chinese in China. This particular dish is served during banquets and special events with days in advanced notice. The duck had to be dried and air was blown into the duck to separate the skin and meat. After the duck was dried, it was cooked in one of two ways, a specialized barrel oven which cooked the duck like a modern convection oven. Or it was broiled (roasted) in a brick oven with an open flame. The epicure's delight of Peking duck is found in the crisp skin which is difficult to reproduce at home. Most of what is seen on TV or that you have possibly been served in Canadian restaurants IS NOT Peking duck.

I have added the following duck recipes in honour of the Beijing Olympics

Originally, Peking duck was served in three courses:

1. The familiar pancake, green onion, and sauce (cucumber slivers were optional), with which the skin was served without the meat.

2. The meat, combined with stir-fried vegetables in a soy-based sauce, served alone or with rice.

3. A soup made with the bones of the duck just eaten

Peking Duck

7 lb duck-uneviscerated, head intact

5 cups hot water

3 Tbsp maltose

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 Tbsp sherry

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

5 Tbsp hosing sauce

12 ea Chinese pancakes, steamed

Just before serving:

¼ lb green onions cut into 24 pieces

2 ea cucumbers, halved and cut julienne

 Clean a fresh duck and pump it full of air through the neck to separate the skin from meat (at home a bicycle pump may be used). Pour boiling water over duck three times. Carefully dry duck, slit stomach, and remove innards.

 Prepare marinade of hot water, maltose, and vinegar. Rub outside of duck all over with mixture.

 Hang the duck by its neck at room temperature, about 65 degrees, for at least 12 hours (longer is better).

 The next day, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place duck in roasting pan and cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat to 400 degrees F and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy.

 To carve the duck, place it breast side up and cut downwards toward the head. Slice thinly. Use only the outer slices-those which have skin. Slice both breasts. Slice the legs, cutting from the joint to the end of the leg. Use remaining meat (without skin) in another dish. Serves 4

Peking Duck Bone Soup

For 6 cups

For the Broth:

Bones from 1 Peking duck, carcass, neck, gizzard, wings, leg, thigh

1 slice fresh ginger

For the Soup:

1 lb celery cabbage (Ch'ing tsai)

2 oz dried bean thread (bean vermicelli)

Water

2 Tbsp oil

2 slices fresh ginger

½ Tbsp salt

½ tsp MSG -optional

6 cups Peking duck bone broth-from above, if there's not enough with chicken broth

2 oz Chinese ham-slivered

1 duck gizzard, from the broth pot, sliced thin

Cut cabbage across in1-1-1/2 inch slices (these will separate on cooking. Soak bean thread in water until soft, then cut into 6 inch lengths (warning-if you omit this cutting your guest could choke.

Simmer broth ingredients except: 1 slice ginger, 1 green onion, cabbage, vermicelli, gizzard, and MSG (if used) for 45 minutes.

Heat oil in stockpot. Add cabbage and stir-fry 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients except vermicelli, gizzard, and MSG

Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, 3 minutes or so. Bring soup to a boil; add vermicelli, gizzard, and MSG.

Serve immediately

Chinese Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾-1 cup boiling water

2 Tbsp sesame oil

These very thin pancakes are the ones used with Peking Duck.

1) Put the flour into a large bowl

2) Stir the hot water gradually into the flour, mixing all the while with chopsticks or a fork until the is fully incorporated add more water if the mixture seems dry

3) Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead it with your hands until smooth. This should take about 8 minutes.

4) Put the dough back into the bowl and cover it with a clean, damp towel and let it rest for about 30 seconds

5) After the resting period, take the dough out of the bowl and knead it again for about 5 minutes, dusting with a little flour if it is sticky.

6) Once the dough is smooth, form it into a roll about 18 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.

7) Take a knife and cut the roll into 18 equal segments. Roll each segment into a ball

8) Take two of the dough balls, dip one side of one ball into the sesame oil, and place the oiled side on top of the other ball.

Now in our streamlined 21st century, the courses are combined into one, the meat wrapped up with the skin, green onion and pancake and the vegetable course and soup are omitted.

There is a story told that former president of the United States George H W Bush and his son, the soon to be president, and their families had been regular customers for so long at Peking Gourmet Inn on Lees burg Pike in Falls Church that the waiters and cooks already knew what they would want.

The specially prepared "Bush" menu consisted of five courses, including Chop Suey and No-Peeking Duck (which ignored Peking and came from Long Island, by way of a French Cook Book. This restaurant also features a dish nicknamed "Bush or Bushed beef", and numerous colour photos of the Bush family adorn the walls. (See also write up Chinese Chow Mien).

No-Peking Duck No 1

The delight of Peking duck is in the crisp skin. The following recipe is not Peking duck.

Ingredients:

1-4 lb whole duck dressed

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground white pepper

1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1 orange sliced in rounds

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, for garnish

5 green onions

½ cup plum jam

1-1/2 tsp sugar

1-1/2 tsp white vinegar

¼ cup minced chutney

Directions;

Rinse the duck inside and out, and pat dry. Cut off the tail and discard. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and cloves. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the mixture into the cavity of the duck. Stir 1 Tbsp 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 the duck breast side up on a rack in a big enough wok or other pot and steam or an hour adding a little more water if necessary as it evaporated Lift duck with 2 large spoons, and drain juices and green onion.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. 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 Tbsps of soy sauce and honey. After 30 minutes, brush the honey mixture into the duck and return it to the oven. Turn the heat up to 500 F. 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 sugar, vinegar, and chutney in a small serving bow. Dice remaining green onions and place them in a separate bowl. Place the whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Use plum sauce and onions for dipping and then compare this recipe with Duck Ala Orange.

No Peking Duck No 2

Select a duck that is not too fat. Scald it in boiling water 3 or 4 times and dry it thoroughly. Mix together 1 generous Tbsp brown sugar,1 Tbsp each of soy sauce and leek or chives, very finely minced, 2 tsp Sherry, 1 generous tsp salt, 1 tsp each MSG and cinnamon, 1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper, cloves and ground aniseed to taste, and 3 garlic cloves crushed.

Cook these ingredients over low heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then stuff the duck with the mixture.

Sew the neck opening and the abdominal cavity securely.

Rub the duck well with a mixture of 2 Tbsp each soy sauce and honey and 1 Tbsp white wine. Roast the bird in a very hot oven (500 F) for 2 or 3 minutes, uncovered, then baste it with the soy sauce-honey mixture reduce the temperature to hot (425 F) and cover the braising pan tightly.

Braise the duck for about 45 minutes. Uncover, baste, and continue to cook for about 15 minutes longer, turning and basting the duck frequently so that it becomes brown and crisp.

Cut the mess into bits, bones and all with poultry shears and then throw away. Or, if you're very brave, you could actually serve it.

No Peking Duck No 3-again compare this recipe with Duck A L' Orange

Wipe with a damp cloth a 5 to 6 pound duckling and prick the skin well with a fork. Rub it with salt and pepper, place it on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and roast it in a hot oven (400 F) for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to moderate (350 F) and roast the duck allowing 20 minutes per pound. Baste several times during the cooking period with 1 cup dry white wine.

In a small pan melt 1 Tbsp sugar and blend in 1 Tbsp vinegar until it caramelizes. Remove the roasted duck from the oven and set aside to keep warm. Skim the fat from the pan and add slowly to the remaining liquid 1 cup white stock, scraping the bottom of the pan. Blend in the juice of 4 oranges and 1 small lemon and 2 Tbsps brandy and add the vinegar caramel. Cook the sauce slowly for 10 minutes.

Arrange the duck on a heated platter, pour the sauce over it and sprinkle the rind of 2 bitter oranges, cut julienne, over the duck. Surround the platter with blanched orange slices.

Duck is actually lower in fat than either chicken or turkey and because of this it is rapidly gaining in popularity.
©Al (Alex-Alexander)D. Girvan. All rights reserved.