Roasted duck leg and bamboo shoot salad

NZ Herald 27/5/2011

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Serves 4

I am a big fan of duck. When roasted to perfection the crispy skin is just amazing. In this recipe, I couldn't help adding some orange as a nod to the French connection to Vietnam, and the fact that the Vietnamese have soaked up many classic French cooking techniques.

Duck, Marinade and Dressing

4	Duck legs, fat trimmed
2 tsp	Cinnamon
2 tsp	Chinese five spice
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper
4	Oranges, juiced
4 tbsp	Hoisin sauce
4 tbsp	Fish sauce
4 tbsp	Honey
4 tbsp	Fresh ginger, minced
4	Garlic cloves, minced

Salad

1	Cucumber, peeled
130 g	Bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
1 handful	Fresh mint
50 g	Spinach leaves, washed
50 g	Watercress, washed
2	Spring onions, thinly sliced
1	Red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2	Oranges, peeled and segmented

Garnish

2 tbsp	Sesame seeds, toasted
4 tsp	Shallots, crispy (sliced and fried in vegetable oil)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degC. Pat dry the duck legs with kitchen paper and, using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the leg (this will help the fat of the duck render down during roasting).
Sprinkle the duck with the cinnamon, five-spice powder, salt and pepper and then rub this into the fat. Place the duck skin side up on a roasting rack, with a pan underneath to catch the fat. Cook for 1 hour; check every 15 to 20 minutes and baste the duck throughout.
Mix together the orange juice, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Once the duck has cooked for an hour, remove from the oven and pour half the marinade over the duck legs (reserving the remainder for later). Return to the oven and continue to cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the skin has turned golden brown and crispy, remove the legs from the oven and allow to cool. The meat should be tender and almost falling off the bone.
To prepare the salad, cut the cucumber lengthways into long, wide strips using a vegetable peeler, avoiding the seeds. Mix the cucumber and remaining salad ingredients and divide among four plates.
Using a fork, shred the duck meat, gently pulling it away from the bone and keeping the skin attached to the meat shreds. Carefully place the meat on the plates.
Sprinkle the salad with the sesame seeds and garnish with the crispy shallots.
Finally, make the dressing by placing the reserved marinade in a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes, until slightly thickened. Cool, then drizzle over the salad. Serve immediately.