Beijing Duck is China's Royal Food

Poultry

Beijing Duck is China's Royal Food
Ingredients:
1 whole 4 to 5 pound duck, innards removed and discarded
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon ground aniseed
1/2 cup honey
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1 small bunch scallions, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into two-inch pieces
hoisin sauce
Peking Duck pancakes, their recipe follows
Preparation:
1. Fill a pot large enough to hold the duck three-quarters full of water and bring it to boil. Remove the pot from heat and put duck in the boiling water for about eight minutes. Then, remove duck, pat it dry, and allow to rest for about an hour.
2. Place remaining ingredients, except the scallions and the hoisin sauce, in a saucepan and bring to boil. Then remove it from heat and allow to cool.
3. Baste the duck all over, both inside and out, with the spice mixture and let it stay covered and in the refrigerator for four hours or until the skin of the duck dried thoroughly.
4. In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, put the duck breast side up, for thirty minutes then turn it over and roast for another thirty minutes. Turn it over again and roast for fifteen minutes then turn it one more time and roast for another fifteen minutes. It may need to be turned another time or two during yet another thirty minutes of further cooking until the skin browns evenly.
5. Then cut and serve the duck meat as pieces and accompany them by pieces of crisp skin wrapped in Chinese pancakes with the scallions and the hoisin sauce.

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