Wok-Smoked Duck with Green Tea and Orange
This dish takes a little planning ahead but is well worth it. Don’t be scared—it’s a show-off dish. You may, however, have to shop around for some of the makings. A trip to your local Asian market or a surf on the Internet should do it. Start by marinating the duck the night before you plan to serve it. A smoker isn’t required, but you will need a wok with a domed lid and wire rack insert (sorry, an electric wok won’t work). Serve with steamed Asian greens like bok choy or Chinese broccoli. Round out the meal with Perfect Steamed Jasmine Rice (page 240).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Duck
Smoker
Orange Glaze
Preparation
Step 1
Pierce the skin of the duck with a fork so the flavor of the marinade can penetrate the meat. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, honey, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Squeeze in the juice of the orange, lemon, and lime, reserving the empty rinds. Place the duck in a 2-gallon plastic storage bag, pour in the marinade, and toss in the citrus halves. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours. The next afternoon, take the duck out of the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Stuff the duck cavity with the marinated citrus rinds and discard the rest of the marinade. Fold the wing tips under and tie the legs together with kitchen string. The duck should have a dark coffee color and smell of citrus and ginger.
Step 2
The next thing you want to work on is setting up the wok-smoker. Line the bottom of the wok with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread the rice, green tea, and sugar on the foil in an even layer and place the wok on the stovetop. Set the steamer rack insert on top of the foil and turn the heat to high. When the rice starts to smoke, lay the duck on the rack, breast side up. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover tightly with the domed lid. The goal is to impart a sweet, smoky flavor to the duck. Let the duck hot smoke for 20 minutes; then turn the heat off and leave the duck covered in the chamber of smoke for another 10 minutes. You will see and smell a fragrant smoke creeping out from under the lid. As tempting as it is, do not peek under the lid, because all the smoke will escape and with it the smoky flavor.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Take the lid off the wok, set the duck on a plate, remove the rack, and discard the foil with the rice. The wok can now be transformed into a roasting pan. Put the rack back inside the wok, place the duck on top, and put the whole thing in the oven without the lid. Roast the duck for 1 hour to crisp the skin and set its deep mahogany color. The legs will jiggle easily when the duck is done.
Step 4
As the duck roasts, make the sauce. In a pot over medium-low heat, combine the plum wine, rice wine vinegar, water, cornstarch, ginger, orange peel and juice, soy sauce, and garlic. Cook down for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and white pepper.
Step 5
With a very sharp knife or cleaver, carve the duck and arrange the pieces on a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the duck and garnish with the sesame seeds.
