Ingredients:
1 oven-ready duck, 4 1⁄2 to 5 pounds (2 to 2.25 kilograms)
1 1⁄2 tablespoons thick soy sauce
5 or 6 tablespoons peanut or corn oil for deep-frying
1 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 tablespoons Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry
1 whole star anise or 8 segments
1 teaspoon Szechwan peppercorns
1⁄4 preserved tangerine peel, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, drained
2 or 3 teaspoons potato flour, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
1 to 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
12 ounces (350 grams) broccoli spears, trimmed
For the stuffing:
1⁄2 ounce (15 grams) dried shrimp, rinsed
3 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
3 scallions, cut into small rounds
2 ounces (55 grams) pork, diced into size of matchstick heads
8 small dried Chinese mushrooms, reconstituted (see page 33) and chopped into size of matchstick heads
2 ounces (55 grams) canned bamboo shoots, chopped into size of matchstick heads
3 ounces (85 grams) glutinous rice, soaked in cold water for 2 hours, drained
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
8 turns pepper mill
Directions:
Soak the shrimp in just enough boiling water to cover them, for 20 minutes. Drain, but save the liquid. Prepare the stuffing: Heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl around. Add the garlic and scallions and stir for a few seconds.
Add the shrimp, stir, the pork, stir, and then the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, glutinous rice and the shrimp liquid. Mix and stir for about 1 minute, partially cooking the mixture. Season with the salt, thin soy sauce and pepper. Transfer to a bowl. Wash and dry the wok.
Boil a kettle of water. Pour over the duck, turning it over several times to ensure even scalding. Wipe off excess water. While the skin is still warm, brush all over with the thick soy sauce, not missing the wings and legs. Put on a wire rack.
Heat a wok over high heat, add the oil, swirl it around and heat until smoke rises. Carefully lower the duck into the oil, breast side down, and fry for 1 or 2 minutes, or until brownish in color. With a wooden spoon or spatula held in one hand and another put inside the cavity, turn the duck over and fry the other side for another 1 or 2 minutes, or until brownish. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a larger plate. Discard the oil.
As soon as the duck has cooled a little, rub all over with the salt and wine or sherry. Pack the cavity loosely with the stuffing; there is no need to sew up either end.
Put into a large dish with about 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) raised edges. Add the star anise, peppercorns and tangerine peel. Steam in a wok or steamer for 1 3⁄4 to 2 hours. Transfer carefully to a large heatproof serving platter. Keep warm in a low oven.
Spoon off most of the fat in the steaming dish. Strain the juices into a saucepan, discarding the spices: there should be about 1 cup. Slowly bring to a simmer. Trickle in the well-stirred dissolved potato flour, stirring as it thickens. Taste for flavor. Add the oyster sauce. Remove from the heat and keep hot.
Put the broccoli into a pan of boiling water with about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Return to a boil and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain thoroughly. Take the duck out of the oven and arrange the broccoli around it. Pour the hot sauce over the duck and broccoli.
To eat it the Chinese way, everyone helps himself and picks from the duck. It is so tender that the meat will come away from the bones when pressure from the chopsticks is applied. The stuffing can be spooned out of the cavity and served with the meat.
Note: After the duck is steamed (step 7), if it is left in a preheated oven of 300° to 350°F (150° to 180°C) for 45 to 60 or 30 to 45 minutes, the skin will be crisp again. This time gap allows for drinks or other dishes to be served. Serves 6 with 3 other dishes.
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