Peking Duck, or Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era, and is now considered one of China's national foods.The dish is prized for the thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks bred specially for the dish are slaughtered after 65 days and seasoned before being roasted in a closed or hung oven. The meat is eaten with pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce or sweet bean sauce. The two most notable restaurants in Beijing which serve this delicacy are Quanjude and Bianyifang, two centuries-old establishments which have become household names. A variant of the dish known as crispy aromatic duck has been created by the Chinese community in the United Kingdom.
Ingredients:
* One 5 to 6 pound duck
* 8 cups water
* 1 slice ginger
* 1 scallion, cut into halves
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar
* 1 tablespoon sherry
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
* Scallions for garnish
* Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck.
* Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours.
* Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil. Add ginger, scallion, honey, vinegar, and sherry. Bring to boil. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir constantly.
* Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl. Scoop boiling mixture all over duck for about 10 minutes.
* Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.
* Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven.
(This is for drippings). Roast 30 minutes.
* Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more. Turn breast side up again. Roast 10 minutes more.
* Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately on a prewarmed dish.
* The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes. Garnish with scallion flowerets. Serves 4 to 6.
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