1 Fresh Duck, 4 1/2 pounds
3 Or 4 Star Anise
2 ts Sichuan peppercorns
1 Two-inch cinnamon stick
1 1/2 tb Coarse salt
1 One-inch cube ginger,
-smashed
1 Scallion
Dark soy sauce
1 tb Dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
1 tb Cornstarch
1/2 ts Sugar
1 Egg white, beaten until
-foamy
Oil for frying
Rinse the duck and dry thoroughly. Combine the star
anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon and salt in a
skillet; heat, shaking the skillet, until the spices
begin to smoke and the salt starts to turn a light
golden color. Cool.
Sprinkle some of this mixture into the cavity of the
duck including all the star anise and the cinnamon
stick. Add the ginger and scallion to the cavity and
skewer closed. Rub the outside of the duck with the
rest of the seasoned salt mixture and hang the duck by
a string (around the neck if the duck has a head or
under the wings if not) overnight in a cool, airy
place.
The next day, steam the duck on a plate in a large
steamer or covered wok for an hour to an hour and 15
minutes. Cool and rub all over with a small amount of
dark soy sauce. Wrap in foil and refrigerate until
ready to cook. (It's fine this way for a day or two.)
Several hours before cooking, take the duck out of the
refrigerator and make a light batter: Mix the sherry
with the cornstarch and sugar until well blended then
stir in the egg white. Rub thoroughly over the duck
and allow to sit.
Heat a large quantity of oil until nearly smoking in a
16-inch or larger wok or in a large deep fryer.
Immerse the duck in the oil and fry until golden,
about 15 minutes, spooning the oil continuously over
the exposed part of the duck. You might want to turn
the duck during this time. If so, carefully remove it
with a large slotted spatula or skimmer and drain the
cavity into a bowl before adding it again to the hot
oil. When the duck is done, drain it on paper towels.
Let the duck rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then carve it
Western-style or cut into pieces, Chinese-style. A
suggestion is to serve it on a bed of watercress that
has been sprinkled very lightly with sesame oil. The
juices from the duck will blend with the sesame oil to
make a sauce.
TEA-SMOKED DUCK; Follow the steps above and steam the
duck only 1 hour. Before refrigerating, line a large
wok with aluminum foil and spread 1 cup of uncooked
rice, 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of Chinese black tea
over the bottom. Put the duck on a metal rack
suspended over the tea mixture; cover with the wok
lid. Moisten paper towels and press them around the
edge of the wok lid forming a seal. Turn the heat to
medium high and allow the duck to smoke for 15 to 20
minutes. Turn off the heat and let the duck sit for
another 45 minutes. Uncover, wrap the duck and
refrigerate. Then proceed as in the master recipe.
