Stephen Ceideburg
4 1/2 lb Duck *
3 tb Sichuan peppercorns
3 tb Coarse salt
1 1/2 tb Sugar
4 Quarter-sized slices fresh
-ginger, shredded
3 Green onions, cut into
-2-inch pieces, crushed
1/4 c Chinese rice wine or dry
-sherry
Asian sesame oil
ACCOMPANIMENTS:
Chinese Steamed Lotus Buns
Slivered green onions
Hoisin sauce (1/2 teaspoon
-per serving)
SMOKING MATERIALS:
1/2 c Sichuan peppercorns
1/2 c Raw long-grain rice
1/2 c Black tea leaves
1/2 c Dark brown sugar
2 Cinnamon sticks, broken into
-small pieces
4 Whole star anise or the
-equivalent in pieces
* or 2 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each (see
note)
Remove fat from duck or hens and discard. Rinse
thoroughly with cold water. With the palm of your
hands press down on the breastbone to snap the bone
and flatten the bird. Pat dry.
Marinating: In an ungreased skillet or wok over medium
heat, toast the peppercorns and salt until the salt
turns a tan color and the peppercorns are aromatic,
about 5 minutes. Finely grind in a food processor or
spice mill and combine with sugar, ginger, onions and
wine. Rub mixture throughout the duck or hens inside
and out and place in a shallow heat-proof bowl (select
one that will fit comfortably into the wok or pot that
you will steam in). Cover and marinate overnight or up
to 3 days, refrigerated. Turn every few hours, Remove
from the refrigerator. Let the duck or hens come to
room temperature.
Steaming: Fill the bottom of wok or steaming pot with
boiling water. Place bowl with the duck or hens and
marinade on a rack over the water. Cover and steam 1
1/2 hours for duck, 45 minutes for hens.
At 15-minute intervals, check water level and
replenish with more water if needed. Remove hens with
their bowl. Cool. Transfer duck or hens to a cooling
rack; scrape off marinade. (Save duck stock. It makes
a delicious cooking stock for vegetables.) Set hens in
a cool, airy spot to dry for at least 4 hours, or
refrigerate, overnight, uncovered,
Smoking: Line bottom of a wok with heavy-duty aluminum
foil. Mix together and distribute smoking materials on
the bottom. Set a 9 or 10-inch round cake rack into
the wok or devise a rack by crisscrossing 6 wooden
chopsticks in the middle of the wok. Place duck or
hens directly on rack. Turn heat to medium-high. When
the smoke begins, cover the wok and smoke for 10 to 20
minutes, or until duck or hens turn golden brown.
Remove from rack and brush lightly with sesame oil.
The hens may be served at this point or browned.
Browning: Place hens breast side up on a roasting rack
in a 425 degree F. oven for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp
the skin.
Serving: Chop duck or hens into bite-size pieces, or
remove bones and cut meat into thin slices. Serve with
Lotus buns and accompaniments.
Note: If you are preparing more than 2 hens, you will
need to steam and smoke them in 2 batches.
PER SERVING (duck, not counting lotus buns): 700
calories, 38 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 58 g fat (20
g saturated), 168 mg cholesterol, approximately 1,270
mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
Joyce Jue writing in the San Francisco Chronicle,
11/25/91.
