Sunday Recipe – Crispy Skinned ‘Peking’ Duck
Every Sunday we share a recipe from EBC president Eric Pateman. This was inspired by Eric’s trip to the Beijing Games in 2008 – and would be a brilliant Chinese New Year/Valentines Day dinner for your sweetie.
CRISPY SKINNED “PEKING” DUCK
Roasted Fig, Sugar & Baby Greens
Jackson-Triggs Reserve Merlot
Serves 8
- 4 Duck Breasts (Armondo’s)
- 2 Tbsp Raw Granulated Sugar (Grainery)
- 8 Fresh Figs (Green Grocer)
- ½ C Port (Liquor Store)
- Salt & Pepper, To Taste
- 2 Heads Frisee Lettuce (Green Grocer)
- ¼ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Edible BC)
- 2 Shallots, Finely Minced (Green Grocer)
- 3 Tbsp Pinot Noir Solera Vinegar (Edible BC)
- 2 Tbsp Port Wine (Liquor Store)
- 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorn Mustard (Edible BC)
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
Duck:
Heat a large, non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Trim and score the duck skin and fat. Place the duck skin side down in the fry pan and cook for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to low and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes while the skin crisps and the fat renders out. Remove from the heat when the skin is crisp and rendered and put aside until just before you are ready to serve.
Roast Figs:
Cut the figs in half and place in a frying pan with the port. Bring to a high simmer and then reduce temperature to low and either roast on the stove top or in an over (around 300 degrees). Once cooked, remove and cover with foil and keep warm until ready to serve.
Salad:
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, shallots, vinegar, port and mustard and heat to a high simmer. Whisk thoroughly until combined and the shallots and garlic are softened. Keep warm.
To Serve:
Heat an oven to 400 degrees with a baking sheet inside the oven. Dust the skin side of the duck with sugar and then place the duck on the baking sheet skin side down and cook until just before desired doneness is reached. Remove from the oven and cover with foil and let it rest of 10 minutes before carving. Serve the sliced duck on a bed of the frisee with the warm dressing along with the roast figs and jus from the figs and port. Sprinkle the plate with some more of the sugar if desired as well as from fresh black pepper.
BEIJING BULLETIN # 6 – PEKING DUCK – ALL DUCKS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL – by Eric Pateman
A trip to Beijing is not complete without experiencing one of the city’s many famous roast duck restaurants. Top names include Made in China, Da Dong and Duck de Chine, all of which boast the best duck in Beijing. While my limited time has not allowed me to try them all (although I am going to try before I leave next week), I did enjoy a morning in the kitchen of Da Dong, where the manager, Mr. Zhang and his staff explained to the intricate process to me, and allowed me to take a number of photos while they prepared their specialty.
As a child growing up, a trip to a Chinese restaurant in Vancouver was always a treat, and Peking duck was always the highlight of the dinner. The lettuce cups, pancakes, shredded duck and the crispy skin, along with the tangy hoisin sauce – delish! Well, in the home of the roasted duck, things are done a little differently, and a whole lot better.
My first question was how many ducks would Da Dong go through in a typical day, considering they also have more than 200 other dishes on their menu. During the Olympics, they are averaging around 500 ducks a day, and normally it would be around 400, so they have seen a 20% bump in business during the Games (Vancouver restaurateurs take note). I have noticed a number of Beijing restaurants have doubled, or even tripled in some cases, their menu prices for the weeks surrounding the Olympics, but even so, most Westerners find the pricing a great value.
Anyway back to the duck…with 400-500 ducks a day being roasted, the roasting kitchen alone boasts a staff of between 23-24 roasting staff, and up to 6 carvers who are expertly trained to carve the ducks with very specific patterns, so much so that it should only take 80 slices to complete the process. As with many things in China, image (or face) is important and perfection is paramount, so it was no surprise to learn that to become a Chinese chef requires at least 5-7 years of apprenticing before you are even allowed to start cooking (hot) dishes.
At Da Dong, the crispy roasted duck is served with 8 specific condiments meant to enhance the duck, as well as the pancakes and hollow sesame buns it is served with (no lettuce cups here). The first revelation of the evening was the sugar condiment that was used for the crispy duck skin. Simply dip the crispy skin into the large flakes of off-white sugar and pop it into your mouth and wait for the smile. This is one of the simplest pleasures I have ever experienced. Other condiments such as hoisin sauce, radish, fresh garlic, scallion, cucumber, and chili also sit in front of each diner, waiting for them to build their own dish to suit their own taste.
The consensus at our table was that we could all just eat the skin and sugar if it weren’t for the fact that we would all die of a heart attack in short order, so the group also devoured the little hollow sesame buns stuffed with the scallions, hoisin, garlic and of course, more duck!
I will try and report back on Made in China and Duck de Chine for a comparison report, but if I don’t get around to it, you will just have to make the trip over to do the research yourself – trust me, it is worth the trip! J
**For more of Eric’s adventures, check out his Olympic Diaries on Urban Diner**
BEIJING BULLETIN # 5 – DONGHAUMEN NIGHT MARKET – by Eric Pateman
A culinary journey to Beijing is not complete without an evening at the Donghaumen Night Market. Here is where tourists flock to enjoy the many creepy crawly edibles to be found in this part of the world. With more than 60 delicacies on offer (including your mainstream items like chicken stir fry, Buddha’s soup, lamb, chicken and pork skewers) there is something for everyone. If you have a slightly more adventurous palate, you can tempt your taste buds with deep fried starfish, scorpions, salamanders, silk worms, squid, cow penis, fish head, chicken heart, sheep kidney, snake, crab, crawfish, and so much more!
With a relatively short life in Beijing’s incredible history (the market only formally began in 1984), this market is now a magnet for tourists from around the country as well as the world. One the evening I attended, I watch Americans posturing as they stared at the skewers of silk works and scorpions – while the passing Italians and Brazilians taunted them with bets they would not eat them. With the Olympics in town, the night market enjoyed visitors from all over the world, some of whom eat these exotic delicacies far more than their North American counterparts, and it was clear in the facial expressions as silk worms popped in their uninitiated mouths.
According to my guide, locals avoid the market like the plague as many of the vendors go weeks without changing the oil in their woks, and all of the products sit out at room temperature, just waiting to provide some unsuspecting tourist with a bout of food poisoning. Thank goodness for guides!
Thus, I treaded lightly as I explored the market, living vicariously through my American neighbors as they popped back the multi-legged brochettes. That being said, I did try a sugar coated fruit which I had never tried before (and I have never seen in Canada), but its name escapes me. Adlyn, my guide, suggested that I try a very traditional Beijing dish while I was at the market and she assured me it was one of the safest items on the street as it was still frozen. Being game for (most) anything, I agreed. Upon the order being placed, the petite woman behind the counter smiled at me and then opened a small freezer behind her and removed a small piece of what looked like meat. I was somewhat relieved until Adlyn told me that I was going to enjoy a baby lamb’s head that had been frozen and then sliced into very thin pieces. The woman then blanched the pieces of head (eyeballs and all) in a broth for about one minute before placing it on top of a bed of cilantro, adding some of the broth, and then topping it with a sesame paste similar to Tahini. Well, since I am a huge fan of sweetbreads, I dug right in, but the crunchiness of the skull and eyeballs overshadowed the pleasant texture of the little meat to be found.
After a few bites I decided I had enjoyed enough of this delicacy to say that I had tried it, and I popped the rest in the bin, where it belongs.
I guess I can now say I have “been there, done that”, and it is certainly an experience everyone should enjoy when they come to Beijing. But I can guarantee you, I am planning to hurry back there again before I leave town.
**For more of Eric’s adventures, check out his Olympic Diaries on Urban Diner**
BEIJING BULLETIN # 4 – THE WALL WAS GREAT BUT LUNCH WAS BETTER – by Eric Pateman
After slaving away over the hot stoves in the 40 degree kitchens, a number of us chefs managed a day off to head outside of the city to explore the Great Wall. This is one of those experiences that you just can’t miss when you come to China, and we were all looking forward it immensely. Funnily though, once again food dominated the day and actually overshadowed our visit to one of the seven wonders of the world – what else would you expect from a bunch of culinary and hospitality professionals.
Our day started out early with our driver picking the 5 of us up at our respective apartments, before speeding off towards the wall, while traveling through what I would describe as the orchard district – acres of cherry, plum, peach and many more fruit trees. While our destination was only about 1.5 hours from the city center, it felt like we were worlds away, the rural setting a stark contrast to the bustle of Beijing.
Our first stop was breakfast at the Schoolhouse which is located at the entrance to the village of Mutianyu, our chosen stop to see the wall (there are multiple locations, but this was one of the closest, and supposedly least touristy). Breakfast was your typical American style eggs, bacon, sausage and hashbrowns, but it was the owner of the Schoolhouse, James Spear, who changed our day. Over breakfast he told us of his American roots, his 20+ years in China, and also about this hidden farm that he believes offers the best food in Beijing. This farm, owned by Mr. Fu and his wife was so special that only guests who are invited can dine there, and you need an escort just to find it! Well, after a little begging, James decided us crazy Canadians must be worthy, as he made the call and set us up for lunch. We were pretty stoked!
Now, it was off to the Great Wall, as we had to hurry as we did not want to be late for lunch! However, with the closest access points to the Great Wall closed due to security reasons for the Games, we had to wait in line an hour to get up onto the wall, and an hour in line to get back down the wall (via a steel bobsled track which was very cool). So, our time on the wall consisted of a quick walk and a beer, but it was still an amazing experience to see this incredible piece of architecture.
Anyway, on to lunch. We headed back to the schoolhouse to pick up our escort and we quickly headed to Mr. Fu’s residence where he had been busy cooking for us. And when I say busy, I am not exaggerating, as a total of 18 dishes quickly appeared before our eyes once we were seated in one of the 3 rooms that he has set up on his property for visitors such as ourselves.
The meal itself will be one we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Not necessarily for the quality of the food, but for the fact that Mr. Fu and his wife opened up their house to us and showed us how the local people eat. Roasted duck (in a wood burning oven fueled with fruit tree wood), frittata, fresh peanuts (that tasted like peas), sautéed squash, fresh picked grapes, plums, tomatoes, legumes & cucumbers, braised fish & pork belly, two types of dumplings, 1000 year old eggs, fresh corn fritters, sautéed cabbage and tofu, chicken sausage and more. Actually it was the “more” that was the highlight of the meal. As you might expect in a rural community, homemade alcohol is a staple, and Mr. Fu’s version of moonshine was exceptionally smooth and almost grappa-like with a very fruity nose and finish. After we had polished off a glass or two of the plain spirit, it was time to try his house specialty. A jar containing the spirit, but also goiji berries, Thai chilies, ginseng, and cow’s penis was brought out and large glasses poured for each of us.
After many years of traveling around the world and experiences a multitude of foods, I can honestly say I had never enjoyed cow’s penis before, but it certainly ensured our day at the Great Wall and Mr. Fu’s farm is a day that none of us will ever forget and will likely recount many times in the years to come.
**For more of Eric’s adventures, check out his Olympic Diaries on Urban Diner**
BEIJING BULLETIN # 3 – OPENING CEREMONIES – by Eric Pateman
With the Opening Ceremonies today, it is all hands on deck to prep for the thousands of people we will be feeding including a reception for the parents of all the Canadian athletes just before the ceremonies, a reception for the Premier tomorrow, plus events for Adidas and a host of other Olympic sponsors.
With a kitchen full of experienced Culinary Capers chefs, supplemented with top students and an instructor from Vancouver Community College, a few local chefs and support staff who Culinary Capers picked up here in Beijing, not to mention me (who is a touch green after being out of high volume kitchens for more than 8 years now), the prep work is quickly being ticked off what seems like a never ending list.
I can’t wait to touch base with the other Canadian chefs who are in town to find out how they are coping with the local suppliers, the challenge of transportation (more than 62,000 cabs and it still took me 45 minutes to flag one down the other day), the heat, limited cooking facilities and more.
The next few days will prove to be interesting, but this is what it is all about! In baseball terms, this is “the show’, and now is the time to shine. Based on everything I have seen thus far, Canada is going to be incredibly well represented and I am very proud to be part of the Culinary Capers team and to wear a maple leaf on my chefs jacket! The next post will likely be a couple of days as I won’t have time to write until then, when I report in on how things went.
**For more of Eric’s adventures, check out his Olympic Diaries on Urban Diner**
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