Peking Duck

Leta's Note:

A world famous dish that is really simple to cook. I have included directions on how to serve this traditional dish. You need to start this dish the day before you plan to eat it.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 -4 lbs duck
• 1 teaspoon malt sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup plum sauce
• 1/2 cup sweet red bean paste or 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 10 scallions, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut lengthwise into thin strips about 2 inches long

Pancakes

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup boiling water
• vegetable oil or sesame oil

Directions:

1. The *malt sugar called for in this recipe resembles honey.
2. This and the other Oriental condiments are available in Oriental food stores.
3. Clean the duck and place in a basin.
4. Boil a large kettle of water and pour it over the duck, dousing it thoroughly.
5. Remove the bird immediately and dry it inside and out with a paper towel.
6. Hang it by the neck overnight in an airy place.
7. Dissolve the malt sugar in the soy sauce and rub the duck with this mixture.
8. When this coating has dried, place the duck on a wire rack in a roasting pan and put it in an oven, preheated to 375°F to roast for 1 hour.
9. Do not baste the duck or open the oven door.
10. While the duck is roasting, make the pancakes.
11. Put the flour in a bowl and gradually add the boiling water.
12. Mix well with a wooden spoon, but do not knead the dough.
13. Cover with a cloth and leave stand for 20 minutes.
14. Form the dough into a long roll about 2 inches in diameter.
15. Cut off 1/2 inch rounds from the roll.
16. Roll the rounds into balls and flatten them into round cakes 1/4 inch thick.
17. When you have used up the dough, dust each cake with flour and roll it out into a paper thin pancake.
18. Lightly brush a heavy skillet with oil, and cook the pancakes over low heat for 1 1/4 minutes on each side.
19. They are ready when parts of the pancakes start to curl and bubble slightly.
20. Stack the cooked pancakes and cover with a damp cloth until required.
21. To serve the duck, first slice off the crisp skin in 1-2 inch squares and then slice off the meat.
22. Place the skin and the meat on two separate warmed dishes and bring to the table.
23. The plum sauce, the bean paste, the scallions and the cucumber strips should all be laid out in separate small dishes.
24. Spread a spoonful of sauce on each pancake, lay strips of cucumber and scallions down the center, add duck skin and meat, and roll up the pancake.
25. After the duck carcass has been stripped of its meat, it is usually boiled with a large amount of cabbage and traditionally served as a soup to end the meal.