Crispy Duck with pancakes

Serves 4-6
Prep Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

For the duck
1 2.5k duck
2 tbs. Honey
2 tbs. water

For the pancakes
450g plain flour
300 ml boiling water
1 tsp. vegetable oil
toasted sesame oil

To serve
1 bunch spring onions
1 cucumber
125 ml hoi sin sauce
125 ml plum sauce

Method

Trim any excess visible fat off the duck from the cavity opening. Remove the parsons nose and, if possible, trim off the wing tips too.

Place the duck on a wire rack in the sink and carefully pour a full kettle of boiling water evenly over the skin. Turn the duck over and repeat on the other side then pat dry with kitchen paper.

While the skin is still warm, mix the honey with the water and brush all over the duck. Rest the duck in the fridge for up at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Warm the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Place the duck, breast side up on a rack in a roasting tin and cook without basting or turning for 1 1/2 hours. If the duck starts to darken too much, loosely cover it with foil.

While the duck is cooking, make the pancakes.

Sift the flour into a bowl and then slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring as you go.

Add the oil and then when the dough is cool enough to handle, need well until smooth. Cover with a damp tea towel or under an upturned bowl for 30 minutes.

Need for a few minutes to ensure a smooth dough and divide into three even balls.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into long, even sausages, then cut each sausage into 8 even pieces.

Now comes the fun bit. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten them out in your palms until they are the size of a jam jar lid. Brush one side with a little of the sesame oil, then make another disk and lay it onto the oiled side of the first disk. Repeat this until all the pieces are paired off.

Now roll the two disks out until they are the same size, or slightly larger, as an old 7" single.
Warm an un-greased wok or non stick frying pan over a moderate heat and fry each pair of pancakes on both sides until they start to bubble and brown slightly.

When they are done peel the two pancakes apart and stack under cling film ready for use.

To serve, warm the pancakes either in the microwave for 1 minute, or in a steamer. Carve the duck so each thin slice has a piece of crispy skin or alternatively peel off the skin and shred it, shred the flesh and serve them separately.

Cut the cucumber into thin, 5 cm long batons, cut the spring onions the same length strips and pour the sauces into two small bowls.

To eat, lay a pancake on your plate and smooth on a small amount of plum sauce. Pile the duck evenly along the centre of the pancake and sprinkle with cucumber and spring onion. Drizzle over the hoi sin and roll up and eat!