| Peking Duck is one of the most famous Chinese | | | | modern life styles being what they are, this Peking |
| foods originating from the ancient royal courts. For | | | | Duck recipe is rather less complicated. |
| centuries, the best Chinese chefs trained extensively in | | | | Rinse and dry the duck thoroughly, blotting with kitchen |
| order to make sure that they could present this | | | | paper. |
| delicacy properly to the Emperor. In fact, their very | | | | Mix the water, dark soy sauce, honey and rice wine |
| lives depended on it. Today, no chef will lose his life for | | | | together and combine with the lemon cut into thick |
| messing up his Peking Duck recipe but his self-esteem | | | | slices and bring to the boil then simmer for about 20 |
| will be sorely dented. However, with attention to detail, | | | | minutes. Ladle the mixture over the duck several times, |
| a modern day Peking Duck can be a feast fit for | | | | ensuring that the skin is thoroughly coated. Hang the |
| royalty. Here's just one of the many up to date Peking | | | | duck up to dry somewhere cool and well ventilated |
| Duck recipes: | | | | with a roasting tin beneath it to catch any drips. When |
| Ingredients | | | | the duck is properly dry the skin will feel like paper. |
| 1 3.5 - 4 lb duck (fresh or frozen) | | | | Roast the duck on a rack over a roasting tin in which |
| 2 pints water | | | | you have water to a depth of about two inches (this |
| 3 tbsp dark soy sauce | | | | stops thefat splashing), in a pre-heated oven 475ºF, |
| 3 tbsp honey | | | | 240ºC, Gas 9 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven |
| 5 fl oz rice wine (you can use dry sherry) | | | | temperature down to 350ºF, 180ºC, Gas 4 and |
| 1 lemon | | | | continue cooking for 1 hour, 10 minutes. |
| To serve: | | | | Let the duck rest for about fifteen minutes before |
| 8 - 12 Chinese Pancakes | | | | serving. You can carve the meat and skin into pieces |
| 4 - 6 tbsp hoisin sauce | | | | using a knife or cleaver or you can shred it with a |
| 16 - 24 spring onions (cut into thin slivers lengthwise or | | | | spoon and fork. |
| into brushes) | | | | Serve the duck with warmed Chinese pancakes, |
| In China, ducks are specially raised on a diet of | | | | spring onions and hoisin sauce. |
| soybeans, maize, sorghum and barley for just six | | | | Each diner takes a pancake, spreads on a little hoisin |
| weeks, when they are ready for cooking. | | | | sauce then tops that with some meat and crispy skin |
| Normally, the preparation of Peking Duck is rather time | | | | followed by a spring onion brush or some strips of |
| consuming and complex. The duck must be cleaned | | | | spring onion. The pancake and contents are then rolled |
| and plucked thoroughly, then air should be piped in to | | | | up into a tube and eaten either with one's fingers or |
| separate the skin from the flesh which let the skin | | | | with chopsticks. |
| roast to a lovely crispness. While the duck dries a | | | | Even this simple version of the classic Peking Duck |
| sugar solution is brushed over the duck and it is then | | | | makes a very special dinner party dish, fit for an |
| roasted in a wood fired oven. However, with our | | | | Emperor. |