Chinese-Style Duck Pancakes with Quick-Pickled Spring Onions and Cucumber
Duck and pancakes is an absolute classic and my favourite thing to order from a Chinese takeaway. I've recreated the idea here but with juicy, crispy-skinned duck breasts instead and homemade pancakes filled with spring onion and a touch of toasted sesame oil for that extra va va voom.
These are easy to make and totally satisfying. I pimped up the traditional accompaniment of shredded spring onions and cucumber by lightly pickling them for another hit of flavour. I recommend you serve these with hoisin and sweet chilli sauces but you could also go for plum sauce and sriracha or anything else you fancy!
Chinese-Style Duck Pancakes with Quick-Pickled Spring Onions and Cucumber
Serves 2
2 x free-range duck breasts
Hoisin and sweet chilli sauces
Prawn crackers (optional)
For the quick pickle:
75ml rice vinegar (or cider/white wine vinegar)
50g caster sugar
4 spring onions, finely shredded
¼ cucumber, finely shredded
For the pancakes:
160ml milk
2 large free-range eggs
80g rice flour (or plain flour)
4 spring onions, very finely chopped
½ tsp toasted sesame oil
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. For the quick-pickled spring onions, put the vinegar and sugar in a small pan over a low heat, then stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the shredded spring onions and cucumber, then take off the heat and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, pat the duck skin dry with kitchen paper and score the skin with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern. Put the duck, skin side down, in a cold, dry frying pan and place over a high heat. Fry the duck breast for 5 minutes or until the skin crisps. Turn and fry on the other side for 30 seconds. Pour the fat into a small dish and set aside.
Transfer the duck breasts to a baking tray, skin-side up, and roast in the preheated oven for 8 minutes for medium-rare (11 if you prefer well done). Take out of the oven and put the duck on a board to rest.
For the pancakes, whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of the reserved duck fat in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Ladle in quarter of the batter and fry for 1 minute on each side until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 4 pancakes.
Slice the rested duck breasts and season well with plenty of salt and a little pepper. Serve with hoisin and sweet chilli sauces, the quick-pickled spring onions and cucumber and the leftover pickle juice.
These are easy to make and totally satisfying. I pimped up the traditional accompaniment of shredded spring onions and cucumber by lightly pickling them for another hit of flavour. I recommend you serve these with hoisin and sweet chilli sauces but you could also go for plum sauce and sriracha or anything else you fancy!
Chinese-Style Duck Pancakes with Quick-Pickled Spring Onions and Cucumber
Serves 2
2 x free-range duck breastsHoisin and sweet chilli sauces
Prawn crackers (optional)
For the quick pickle:
75ml rice vinegar (or cider/white wine vinegar)
50g caster sugar
4 spring onions, finely shredded
¼ cucumber, finely shredded
For the pancakes:
160ml milk
2 large free-range eggs
80g rice flour (or plain flour)
4 spring onions, very finely chopped
½ tsp toasted sesame oil
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. For the quick-pickled spring onions, put the vinegar and sugar in a small pan over a low heat, then stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the shredded spring onions and cucumber, then take off the heat and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, pat the duck skin dry with kitchen paper and score the skin with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern. Put the duck, skin side down, in a cold, dry frying pan and place over a high heat. Fry the duck breast for 5 minutes or until the skin crisps. Turn and fry on the other side for 30 seconds. Pour the fat into a small dish and set aside.
Transfer the duck breasts to a baking tray, skin-side up, and roast in the preheated oven for 8 minutes for medium-rare (11 if you prefer well done). Take out of the oven and put the duck on a board to rest.
For the pancakes, whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of the reserved duck fat in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Ladle in quarter of the batter and fry for 1 minute on each side until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 4 pancakes.
Slice the rested duck breasts and season well with plenty of salt and a little pepper. Serve with hoisin and sweet chilli sauces, the quick-pickled spring onions and cucumber and the leftover pickle juice.
That sounds absolutely fantastic.
ReplyDelete