Chinese Crispy duck
Instructions:
- For the marinade:
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated root ginger;
- 2 tablespoons Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry;
- 2 tablespoons ground Sichuan peppercorns;
- 1 pinch sea salt;
- 6 star anise;
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce;
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce.
- For the apricot and plum sauce:
- 31⁄2 fl oz water;
- 2 plums, quartered and stoned;
- 2 oz dried apricots, chopped;
- 2 tablespoons sugar;
- 1 tablespoon runny honey;
- 1 cinnamon stick;
- 1 star anise;
- juice of 1 lime.
- Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl and stir to combine. Add the duck, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat a wok or pan over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Place the duck into the wok or pan, skin side down, and fry for 4-5 minutes until the skin is brown and crisp. Transfer to a baking tray, skin side up, and cook in the oven for 3-4 minutes (depending on how well done you like the duck).
- While the duck is in the oven, make the apricot and plum sauce. Put the water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Add the plums, apricots, sugar, honey, cinnamon and star anise and cook until reduced to a sticky sauce. Take off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- To serve, place a duck breast on each plate, pour the sauce over and serve with the beans and sweet potatoes.