Red Roast Duck w/ Baby Bok Choy
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 whole head garlic, unpeeled & halved horizontally
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 5" piece fresh ginger, cut into ¼" slices
- 2 bunches scallions, white parts sliced into 2" lengths, green parts sliced ⅛" thick
- 2 boxes (about 3 lbs) rock sugar candy, or 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 cup dark soy sauce
- 3 cups soy sauce
- 1 bottle dry red wine
- 2 cups Shaoxing wine, or 1 cup dry sherry
- 4 cups water or more, if needed
- 1 large duck, about 6 lbs
- 4 Thai bird chiles, dried
- 3 baby bok choy, halved & cored
- 3-4 baked sweet potatoes
How-to
- In a large, deep pot, combine the wines, soy sauces, about 2 cups of water, rock candy, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, star anise, Thai bird chiles and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer 5 minutes to melt rock candy
- Add duck to pot. If the liquid doesn’t cover the duck so that it is completely submerged, add more water
- Place a second pot or stainless steel bowl half-filled with water into the first to keep the duck submerged (see tips*) and simmer until the duck is very tender and almost falling off the bones, 2½ - 3 hours. Do not overcook, or the meat will come apart
- During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy
- Mound the innards of baked, sweet potatoes onto the serving platter
- Using a large-mesh spoon, carefully remove the duck and bok choy to platter atop sweet potatoes
- Spoon braising liquid over duck, and garnish with scallion greens
*Ming’s Tips:
- The duck must be kept submerged in its braising liquid while it cooks. To accomplish this, find a pot or stainless steel bowl that will fit into the braising pot. Fill it halfway with water and place it on the duck to weigh it down as it cooks
- Don’t be put off by the amount of sugar called for for here; it’s needed to give the dish its mellow flavor
- Suggested wine pairing: a full-bodied Syrah or Shiraz
Adapted from Blue Ginger, copyright 1999 Ming Tsai