Spiced Peking Duck Pancakes

SERVES 4
TAKES 1 hour 45 minutes

A roast duck is a beautiful thing, a very versatile meat that lends itself especially well to strong aromatics. We have rubbed the skin with Chinese five spice and a little salt, which crisps up fabulously whilst leaving the meat beneath wonderfully succulent. A fantastic recipe to feed a crowd and pairs perfectly with refreshing cucumber and sweet peking sauce.

1. Remove the duck from the fridge 2 hours before you want to cook to allow to come to room temperature.
2. Pre heat your oven to 180C fan.
3. Rub the duck with the Chinese five spice and 2 tsp salt, the skin is already very fatty so no oil is needed when roasting. Place in oven for 1hour 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 75C. If you feel the skin needs to crispen, switch to grill and gentle grill on a medium heat for 6 minutes, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t catch.
4. Remove and cover with foil and a cloth, let rest for at least 30 minutes.
5. Remove the pancakes from the freezer and allow to thaw. Once pliable enough, carefully peel them apart and stack them in a tower – be gentle, they are very delicate!
6. Place a colander over a bowl of hot water and carefully place in the pancakes to steam for 5 minutes. Or if you have a bamboo steamer, this will also work.
7. Place the ice cubes in a bowl and pour over water until covered, place in the spring onion strips – the iced water will begin to curl them into spring-like shapes.
8. Portion the duck, removing the meat from the leg bones, carve breast and leg meat into strips, spoon some Peking sauce onto the steamed hot pancakes, add a few slices of duck, topping with the cucumber slices, remove the spring onions from the iced water and pat dry, they should now be nice and curly with a good crunch. Scatter over the pancakes, along with the coriander and drizzle over the chilli oil if using, get stuck in and enjoy!

2.5 kg whole duck

2 tsp Chinese five spice

Salt, for seasoning

Pancakes, for steaming (we used the frozen ones)

Peking sauce

½ cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin strips

Handful of coriander, roughly torn

2 spring onions, cut lengthways into thin strips

Handful of ice cubes

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Chilli oil (optional)