Chinese Red Cooked Duck...I think

Once upon a time at C.I.A. one of the Chinese chefs prepared one of the tastiest dishes I've ever eaten. As I recall, a whole duck was "red cooked", meat shredded over the skin, pressed and chilled, dusted with corn starch and fried.

If anyone can provide a recipe, name or web link, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Cheers,
TopChef

[mudbug]

Well, I don't have a response for the way you described it but here are recipes for "red cooked" duck.

Shanghai Red Cooked Chicken (can use duck)

3 1/2 lb (approximately) whole frying chicken
1/2 c Dark soy sauce
1 1/2 c Peanut (or vegetable) oil
-for braising
2 tb Peanut oil for stewing
4 Green onions
1/2 ts Minced fresh ginger
4 c Water
1/2 c Medium sherry
1/2 c Thin soy sauce
1 Clove star anise
1 t Salt
3 Lumps rock sugar
1 tb Sesame oil
Cornstarch paste


Red-cooking is a form of stewing with a seasoned liquid containing soy sauce and spices.

If serving more people, get more chickens. Chickens should not exceed about 4 lbs. each.

Marinating: Wash chicken thoroughly under cool water: dry. Cut off fat pockets around cavity opening. Place chicken in snug bowl.Brush or rub dark soy sauce into skin; let stand in bowl for 30 minutes; repeat brushing several times. Remove from bowl.

Braising: In wok heat oil for braising under medium high flame.When oil is hot, but not smoking, quickly lower chicken into oil. Protect yourself against splattering oil by holding wok lid over wok; don't actually cover it. Using large spoon, baste chicken with hot oil, & turn once or twice so skin browns evenly (about 10-15 minutes). Carefully remove chicken from wok, trying not to break skin.

Stewing: Chop green onions into 2" sections. Heat peanut oil in heavy pot or dutch oven, in which chicken will fit snugly. When oil is hot, add green onions & ginger. Saute until onions are lightly brown. Add water, sherry, thin soy, star anise & salt. Bring mixture to boil.While liquid is heating, loosely tie legs of chicken together with a piece of twine. Lower chicken into boiling liquid.

Bring liquid to boil again, then reduce heat for very slow simmer. Chicken should actually be floating free in liquid. Cover & simmer for about 1 hour or until chicken is very tender. Leave chicken in covered pot until 5 minutes before serving. Then remove it carefully to serving platter; remove twine. Remove all but 1 cup of liquid from pot (including onion pieces). Bring liquid to boil; thicken slightly with cornstarch paste; glaze with sesame oil. Pour sauce over chicken & serve.

From the sunny kitchen of Matt Rosen, White Rock, BC. Enjoy!!

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RED-COOKED CHICKEN
Categories: Loo, Chinese,
Chicken Yield: 1 chicken

1 Whole chicken
2 c Soy sauce
2 c Dark soy sauce
6 oz Dry sherry
6 cl Garlic
3 Scallions, in 1" lengths
Water to cover 3/4 -of the way
1 tb Cornstarch
4 ts Water Sesame oil

Wash chicken and pat dry. Combine next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add chicken and water. Lower heat and let simmer at lowest heat for 45 min, turning occasionally. After 45 min, turn chicken breast side down and let steep for 1/2 hour. Remove chicken, disjoint, and arrange on a platter. Strain and defat liquid. Reserve all but 3 c for another use. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce by half. Add cornstarch mixed with water. Cook until thickened. Taste for seasoning, correcting with salt as necessary. Pour sauce over chicken and flick a few drops of sesame oil over the top. Serve hot or cold.

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RED-COOKED DUCK

Makes 4 servings
1 5- to 6-pound duck
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 quarter-size pieces peeled fresh ginger
3 whole star anise (available in Asian groceries)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups dry sherry
2 or more cups boiling water
1/4 cup crushed rock sugar (available in Asian groceries)

Cut tail off duck and trim excess flaps of skin.

Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. While preparing remaining ingredients, brown duck well on all sides to eliminate some of the fat.

Transfer duck to crockery cooker and wedge in bottom, breast-side down. Add ginger, anise, soy and sherry, plus enough boiling water to barely cover duck. The amount of water will vary with the shape and size of the slow cooker.

Turn heat to high and cover. Cook 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook about 7 hours longer, or until duck is very tender. Pour off as much fat as possible. At the table, with chopsticks, pull duck meat from bones in shreds. Ladle some of the sauce over duck. Serve with lots of rice. Save remaining sauce for flavoring stir-fries.