PEKING DUCK HOUSE

I've been to Beijing, China and have eaten at the Peking Duck restaurant where they've taken dignitaries to.  This place in Chinatown New York can pass for the one I visited in Beijing.

They have prix-fixed Peking Duck meals which include a variety of dishes besides the Peking Duck at a very reasonable price.  But for those days where you crave for a Peking Duck without having to over eat, I am so glad that I can have it without having to travel far away.

You can actually order 1 Peking Duck, a vegetable dish and if you want something else more to eat, you can order the house fried rice.  This order will feed a party of 3 maybe up to 4 if the group are light eaters.

Above, is a video of how Peking Duck is carved to be served.  The process to prepare the duck itself is the secret.  Some blow air between the skin and the meat which makes the skin crisp when baked.

My Chinese Pediatrician told me long time ago that to prepare a Peking duck, you prick the skin and brush the entire duck liberally with Sherry or Chinese wine.  Then, you hang it a few hours before baking or roasting it in the oven, to drain all the fat out.  Would you believe that I actually tried it at home?  Although the skin became crisp, I think it's easier to eat this at a restaurant that specializes in Peking duck.

The Peking duck was served on our table with thin slices of scallions and cucumbers in a dish and some hoisin sauce to add to the duck.  Not shown is the container of warm pancakes where you put some duck, sauce, some scallions and cucumbers.  Roll  the pancake to eat it.  It's like a thin wrap.

I never complete a dinner without vegetables.  The broccoli with lots of garlic was perfect. 

Since childhood, I've always loved Chinese fried rice.  So, to make the meal perfect, we had to have some fried rice.  By the way, this fried rice is so similar to the kind I grew up with knowing.  Lesson #1, there are many ways of making fried rice.  There are some fried rice whereby the Chef adds soy sauce in it.  I prefer the clean taste of a light fried rice such as the one pictured on the right.

The duck was first shown to us and then carved.

pekingduckhousenyc.com

PEKING DUCK HOUSE:

28 Mott Street
New York
(212) 227-1810

or  in Midtown at

236 East 53rd Street
Manhattan
(212) 759-8260

DUCK - Asian style Version 2

This is a variation of the other duck recipe - Asian Style I originally put out.  This one is an easier version.  The difference is how I prepared the duck.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 can of 7Up or Ginger Ale
1/4 c of soy sauce
1TB of powdered 5 Spices (available in Asian stores)
3TB of corn syrup
Canola oil

Sauce for Brushing:
1/3 c of Plum Barbecue sauce (I used F&W - Fischer & Wieser Hot Plum Chipotle Sauce for brushing

Marinate the duck breasts in the first 4 ingredients for 4 hours. Place in pan half filled with hot water (bain marie) on rack.  Brush the duck generously with the Hot Plum Chipotle Sauce or Plum Barbecue sauce.  Bake for 20-25 minutes in preheated 350 degrees F oven.  Remove and let sit for 30 minutes before slicing.

Pictured above 4 duck breasts served

Garnish or Accompaniment uses 1 bunch of chopped scallions and 1-1/2 inch peeled and shaved ginger sauteed in safflower oil seasoned with sea salt generously.  I cooked this in a small saucier pot as pictured. 

Can be served as dinner with rice on the side and Siracha sauce on top of the rice.  Above, served with salad and the ginger scallion condiment.

FOR LEFT OVERS:
We used left over slider buns or hot dog buns to make sandwiches.
The sandwich had siracha, cilantro, the scallion-ginger condiment, pickled relish - mayonnaise is optional.
Try it, we loved it!!

DUCK - Asian style - MY VERSION

I have been experimenting on a few duck breast preparations.  Here's something I'd like to share that has an Asian flavor twist.

INGREDIENTS:
Duck breasts(s) (increase ingredients per person throughout the recipe)
(You can also use smoked duck breast)

I first started with either a smoked duck breast on the left or a fresh Magret duck breast as seen on the right.

Other Ingredients:

BBQ Rub

Sunflower oil

Maple syrup

salt/pepper

Season the duck breast with the above ingredients and place in pan with hot water on baking rack.  Bake at 350 degrees F preheated oven for about 30 minutes.  Remove and set aside while you make the garnish.

GARNISH INGREDIENTS:
1 TB of shaved peeled ginger - per serving (preferably organic - this is a root and you don't want to ingest pesticides from the soil)
1 Stalk of scallion sliced
2TB of safflower or canola oil
salt for seasoning
Sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste)

Saute the ginger and scallions in oil in small pot till wilted (about 10-15 minutes).  Season with salt.

Slice the duck breast as seen above.  I liked it best served with a cup of cooked rice on the side with sambal oelek on top, the ginger-scallion garnish and watercress salad. 

Another way of serving this dish if using the smoked duck prepared the same way; (as pictured above) is with balsamic syrup and micro-green salad.  The tangy balsamic syrup balances the strong duck taste.

Both ways are delicious and so easy to prepare.