The Best Guide for the CR0 Area

Crispy duck with a spicy damson sauce

When cooked to this recipe the duck is not fatty or greasy. The rich, sharp, spicy sauce complements the richness of the duck beautifully.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus drying time
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 whole Duck, wild if possible
2 litres boiling water
5 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp Soy sauce
4 tbsp Chinese 5-spice powder
2 tbsp brown sugar

For the sauce
250ml water
225g white sugar
250g ripe damsons, halved and stoned
80ml Fish Sauce
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
60ml fresh lime juice

Method
1. If you duck is trussed up, untie it and place the duck on a rack over a deep roasting tin. Pour over the hot water and leave on one side until the duck looks dry.
2. Discard the water and leave the duck exposed to air until it's really dry to the touch.
3. Mix the honey, soy sauce, five spice powder and brown sugar together. Using a pastry brush, brush this sauce over the duck, inside and out.
4. Leave the duck to dry once more. Give the duck another coat of sauce and leave to dry once more.
5. Mean while make the damson sauce combine the water and sugar in a small pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, add damson, fish sauce, star anise, chilli and cinnamon and simmer for a further minute. Stir in the lime juice. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise.
6. Preheat the oven to 200oC/gas 6. Roast the duck for 30 minutes before turning it over and cooking for another 30 minutes, until the skin is crispy.
7. Carve the duck and serve either with thin Chinese pancakes, rice or noodles.