Roast Duck with Snake Beans and Radicchio

I once went to Beijing to cook and, not being particularly sharp and the recipient of a simple country education, it took me a while to remember that the city was formerly named Peking. A little while later the penny dropped and I thought this was probably the home of Peking duck and that was why it was served with wheat pancakes, as it is in the North. The only version I had eaten was in Cantonese restaurants – definitely rice territory. One of the finest was had at Da Dong. Chef Dong Zhenxiang roasts his in brick ovens fuelled by fruit wood, including persimmon. [this was 2012]. Most recently I had a sublime experience at ‘The Country Kitchen’ at The Rosewood Beijing where the duck is properly served with a sweet tian mian jiang dipping sauce, made from fermented soybeans – not hoisin plum, which is a corruption. (don’t @ me)

Having said all that here is my inspired version. Yes, I know what I did there.

• 1 x 1.8-2kg free range duck  

• 1 leek 

• 2 carrots

• 1 head garlic 

• 2 star anise

• 1 tsp juniper berries 

• 1 tsp all-spice 

• 1 tsp Sichuan pepper 

• 1 tsp white peppercorns 

• 1 tsp coriander seeds 

• 30g sea salt flakes 

• 2 mandarins

• 1 dessert spoon Tamari

• 1 dessert spoon sesame oil

• 1 cup red wine

• 1 dessert spoon of corn starch 

1. Rinse the duck under cold running water. 

2. Pat dry with paper towel

3. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the spices together with the sea salt flakes

4. Using a food processor, blend the whole mandarins, then add the spices

5. Spread the spiced mandarin paste evenly into the cavity of the duck. 

6. Seal the cavity with a stainless-steel skewer

7. Take the leeks and remove the dark green tops. 

8. Wash well under running water and slice finely 

9. Peel the carrot and finely slice

10. Break the head of garlic into cloves

11. Here we can do the long way or the shorter version:

12. the long: Bring 3 litres (101 fl oz/12 cups) water and 100gms fine salt to the boil and add 100mls vinegar. Roll the duck in the water to tighten and set the skin, then place the duck on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for 2 days, uncovered, to dry the skin. 

13. the short: Using a portable butane torch or high gas flame, rotate the duck to shrink and dry out the skin (this gives your duck a good shape and crispy skin) 

14. Brush the skin with the tamari and sesame oil 

15. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan forced)

16. Lay the vegetables on the bottom of a deep roasting tray, then place the duck on a wire rack over the tray

17. Cook for 25 minutes on 200°C, then reduce the heat to 160°C and cook for a further 45 minutes

18. Drain the excess fat (and retain for other uses)

19. Once cooked, remove the duck from the oven and rest it for a minimum of 20 minutes.

20. Remove the skewer and drain the juices and fat from the cavity and retain for the sauce

21. Place the roasting tray over a burner and brown the vegetables thoroughly if they don’t have enough colour

22. Add the red wine and retained juices and cook quickly for 2 minutes. Add a cup of hot water and simmer for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small pan, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids

23. Return the pan to the heat and add the corn starch (mixed with a little water) and cook until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasoning if required

Snake beans with basil

• 1 bunch snake beans

• 1 bunch Thai basil

• 50 mls sesame oil

• 25 mls light soy 

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground kampot pepper

1. trim the slack end of each bean

2. cut into 10cm lengths

3. pick the leaves & flowers from the basil

4. heat the oil in a wok until smoking

5. add the pepper & then the beans

6. toss frequently until the skin of the beans blister

7. add the basil & toss well

8. add the soy

9. toss well & serve immediately 

Radicchio Salad 

• 2 heads radicchio 

• 100 gms Hazelnuts 

• 50 mls Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

• 20 mls Apple Cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp Murray River Salt

• freshly ground black pepper 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c

2. place the hazelnuts on a roasting tray & cook for 10-15minutes until the skins blister & the nut is a light caramel colour

3. Rub the nuts in the folds of a clean tea towel to remove the skin 

4. roughly chop the nuts

5. use a small utility knife to remove the radicchio core

6. Remove any wilted outer leaves

7. separate all of the leaves & put into a large salad bowl 

8. dress with the oil, vinegar & salt

9. toss well

10. finish with a good grind of pepper & the hazelnuts