Fat Phoenix

LUCKY DUCKY

Made a test run for my CNY dish this year. As it's the year of the Rooster, we'll give chooks a break and focus on ducks. It's been years since I last made Eight Jewel Duck. Hmmm... son says it's good. 

Unlike most recipes that call for the duck to be fried and then braised, I just pop mine into the oven to roast. Here's the recipe:

EIGHT JEWEL ROASTED DUCK 

1 duck (about 1.8-2kg)
2 tbsp honey or maltose
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp salt

For stuffing

Steam stuffing for 1 hour

100g glutinous rice (soak 6 hours or overnight)
2 dried shitake mushrooms (soak and diced fine)
10 pcs lotus seeds (remove bitter green embryo and soak)
2 pcs dried scallops (soak and crushed)
2 pcs dried oysters (soak and chopped)
1 tbsp dried shrimp (soak)
1/2 Chinese sausage (diced)
2 hardboiled salted egg (yolk only, diced)
1 broccoli (use stem only, dice)
3 slices bacon (dice)
4 shallots (sliced finely)
Cooking oil 

Method:
1. Clean duck. Make sure you remove the smell glands at the tail end. Pat dry. Remove feet, wing tips and neck. Rub duck all over, including the inside, with salt, dark soya sauce, five spice powder and honey. Leave aside to marinate.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in pan and fry shallots till golden brown. Remove shallots and use oil to fry remaining ingredients. Season with salt and soya sauce (or oyster sauce). 
3. Add browned onions and stir well to mix. Dish into metal plate and steam for 1 hour. 
4. When rice is done, stuff into duck cavity. You can allow the rice to cool slightly if you find it too hot to handle. Seal cavity opening with toothpicks.
5. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 
6. Place duck on rack in deep roasting pan. This helps contain the fat splattering so cleaning the oven later will be easier. 
7. When the skin turns brown, flip duck over and continue roasting. Total roasting time: One hour.
8. When done, remove duck and allow to rest. Use the dripping in roasting pan to make a sauce. Thicken with cornflour. 
9. To serve, cut duck using scissors and pour gravy over. 
* Serves four to five pax.