← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice
• 1 tsp flaky salt
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 Star anise
• 4 slices Ginger
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 20 mandarin (duck) pancakes
• 6 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• 1 Cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 6 Spring onion, cut into finger lengths and shredded

Method

1. Pat the duck legs very dry, prick the skin all over with a skewer (not into the meat) and rub with the five-spice and salt. Chill uncovered for 1 hour or overnight to dry the skin.
2. Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Put the star anise, ginger and Shaoxing wine in a roasting tin with 100 ml water and sit the legs on top, skin side up.
3. Roast for 90 min, until the meat is very tender and much of the fat has run out. Spoon off the fat into a jar (it makes superb roast potatoes).
4. Mix the honey and soy sauce and brush it over the skin. Turn the oven up to 220°C (430°F) and roast for 15–20 min more, until the skin is dark and crisp. Rest for 10 min.
5. Meanwhile, steam the pancakes in a covered steamer for 3–5 min, until soft and hot, and set out the hoisin, cucumber and spring onion.
6. Shred the duck with two forks, skin and all. Spread a pancake with hoisin, add duck, cucumber and spring onion, roll up and eat.

Tips

• The cooked duck must reach at least 75°C (165°F); long roasting takes it well past that.
• Make the mandarin pancakes from this kitchen, or buy them frozen and steam from defrosted.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food BBC Good Food Marion's Kitchen