Spiced Twice-Roasted Duck

Duck is something that I just love to cook and when it's done properly nothing can beat the combination of meltingly soft flesh and ultra crispy skin. It seems that most of the problems arise in trying to render the duck fat and not dry out the meat.

While my usual method of cooking produces the desired outcome I'm always on the look out to try something new. That came in the form of a recipe by New Zealand Author Julie Le Clerc from her book Feast@Home.

Where I would normally use Duck breasts, this recipe uses Duck Marylands.



Having cooked this recipe many times I'd have to say it is foolproof. The marylands are cooked in a Hoisin and Soy sauce broth that's been spiked with star anise - then they are removed from the broth, sprinkled with Chinese five-spice powder and ground Szechuan peppercorns and then returned to the oven where the skin becomes wonderfully crisp and delciously spiced.

The bonus in this dish is that the cooking liquid forms a wonderful duck stock that once strained can be used as a soup base.

Spiced Twice-Roasted Duck

[Serves 2]

1 red onion, peeled and quartered

2 star anise

¼ cup Hoisin sauce

¼ cup Light Soy sauce

2 Duck marylands

¼ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (if you can't find szechuan peppercorns they can be omitted)

½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

freshly ground salt

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.

In a deep sided oven-proof dish place the duck marylands skin side down.
Scatter the onion quarters and star anise.
Mix the hoisin and light soy sauce in a bowl along with 1 cup water - stir to combine and then pour over the duck.
Top up with more water until the legs are half covered in liquid.
Cook for 45 minutes.

Remove the marylands from the stock and place them on a low-sided oven dish. Sprinkle over with the ground Szechuan peppercorn and Chinese Five spice powder, then rub them into the skin. Grind over with a little salt and return to the oven for around 30 minutes or until the skin is crisp.

Let the duck rest 5 minutes before serving.