Best Deep Fried Steamed Eight Precious Duck Recipes

STEAMED DEEP-FRIED PRESSED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Blanch, toast and sliver almonds. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Combine soy sauce, salt and sugar and rub over duck skin. Pour remainder into duck cavity, swishing it around to coat the interior. Drain off excess and discard. 3. Put duck in a deep heatproof bowl. Cut celery in 3 or 4 pieces trim off scallion roots and arrange over duck. Steam 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 4. Drain duck, reserving liquid for stock. Let bird cool slightly then bone, leaving skin and original shape intact (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone). Transfer duck to a large flat plate or cutting board. 5. With both hands, press down on duck, flattening it to a 3/4-inch thickness. Then sprinkle generously on both sides with cornstarch. Return bird to heatproof bowl and steam 30 minutes more. Let cool, then cut in quarters. 6. Heat oil to boiling. Add duck, one quarter at a time, and deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly then cut bird in 1 1/2-inch squares, each with some skin. Keep warm. 7. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, catsup, hot sauce and remaining soy sauce and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile blend remaining cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken. 8. Shred lettuce and arrange on a serving platter with duck squares on top. Pour sauce over and serve, garnished with toasted almonds. NOTE: This dish is also known as War Shu Opp.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

EIGHT PRECIOUS DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Separately soak glutinous rice and dried mushrooms. Blanch and shell chestnuts, ginkgo nuts and lotus seeds. 2. Bring water to a boil. Add soaked rice and simmer, covered, 5 minutes, then drain. Rinse under cold running water and drain again. 3. Dice pork, ham and bamboo shoots shell and dice shrimp dice chestnuts and mushrooms. Combine in a bowl with cooked rice. Add soy sauce, sherry, ginkgo nuts and lotus seeds. 4. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth then stuff rice mixture into cavity, and sew up securely or skewer. Truss bird (see Seasonings and Sauces, _Poultry: To truss). Place duck in a heavy pan. 5. Cut scallion stalk in 1-inch sections slice ginger root. Add to pan along with stock, salt, remaining soy sauce and sherry. 6. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 1 hour, turning duck several times for even cooking and coloring. Add sugar and simmer 1 hour more. 7. Scoop out rice stuffing and arrange on a serving dish. Chop duck, bones and all, in 1- to 2-inch sections, or carve Western-style. Arrange over stuffing and serve. NOTE: This dish, sometimes called Eight Jewel Duck, can also be eaten cold. It will keep about a week in the refrigerator. VARIATION: * For the glutinous rice, substitute pearl barley. Bring to a boil in 2 cups cold water, then cook, covered, until soft (about 20 minutes). Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

DEEP-FRIED STEAMED WEST LAKE DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried mushrooms. 2. 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. 3. Rub duck lightly with soy sauce. 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 quickly. Rinse in a pan of cold water and drain again. Untie duck. 5. Transfer bird to a large heatproof bowl. Dice giblets slice ginger root and add, along with star anise. Combine sherry, salt, honey and remaining soy sauce and pour over. Meanwhile boil water in another pan, and also pour over duck. 6. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until duck is done, but stil1 firm (about 1 3/4 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 7. Remove duck and let cool. Bone then cut meat in bite-size squares, each with a piece of skin. Strain duck liquid, skimming off fat. 8. Return duck squares, skin-side up, to heatproof bowl. Add strained duck liquid and steam 15 minutes more. 9. Meanwhile shred bamboo shoots, celery and soaked mushrooms. In a saucepan, bring remaining duck liquid to a boil. Add shredded vegetables and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. 10. Cut smoked ham in strips. Chop Chinese parsley. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste and stir into duck liquid to thicken. Pour over duck squares and serve, garnished with ham strips and chopped parsley. NOTE: This recipe can be made with chicken as well as duck. VARIATIONS: * In step 5, omit the seasonings given and pour over duck and giblets the following mixture: 1 1/2 cups stock 1 slice fresh ginger root and 1 clove garlic, both minced and 1 cup canned button mushrooms. Also omit the water. * In step 10, arrange duck squares on a serving platter over 1 head lettuce, shredded or over 1 pound of any of the following: asparagus, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions or spinach. (These must be stir-fried first.) The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

DEEP-FRIED STEAMED EIGHT PRECIOUS DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Separately soak glutinous rice, dried oysters, dried scallops and shrimp. 2. 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 then rub with soy sauce. 3. Dice fresh mushrooms. Mince smoked ham, Chinese sausage, crabmeat and water chestnuts also soaked oysters, scallops and shrimp. Mix well with soaked glutinous rice, sherry, salt, sugar and garlic powder. 4. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, turning and basting, until golden. Drain. Rinse in a pan of cold water and drain again. 5. Stuff duck with glutinous rice mixture. Sew up securely or skewer. Transfer bird to a large heatproof bowl and pour stock over. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until tender (about 1 1/2 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 6. Parboil green peas. Cut lettuce in strips and arrange on a serving platter. 7. Let duck cool slightly then chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections or carve Western-style. Arrange on lettuce bed and garnish with green peas. VARIATIONS: * For the green peas, substitute Chinese parsley. * For the sugar, substitute honey. * For the stuffing, substitute the following mixture: 1/2 cup glutinous rice (soaked) 2 tablespoons barley (soaked) 6 dried apricots 12 chestnuts, blanched and shelled 12 ginkgo nuts, shelled 1/4 cup canned lotus seeds 1 tablespoon dried dragon's eye (soaked) 1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced 1 scallion stalk, minced 2 tablespoons sherry 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.