Julia Komp, the youngest female German chef to be awarded a Michelin star, offers up this fantastic duck recipe. Using an array of Lee Kum Kee sauces throughout the preparation, you can create this restaurant-quality meal for you and your family at home.
For the Pickled Carrots
Place all the ingredients for Pickled Carrots in Passion Fruit Stock in a pot and boil for 10 minutes. Put the cut carrots and boil for another minute.
Leave carrots to cool in the liquor and pickle for at least 2 hours.
For the Pickled Gherkins
Deglaze it with the Seasoned Rice Vinegar and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
Cut the cucumbers with a small ball cutter to make mini pearls.
Place everything in a vacuum jar for at least 2 hours.
For the Kimchi Paste
Sprinkle salt generously between the leaves or rub slightly. Put aside for 2 hours.
In the meantime, Peel the pumpkin and cut it into 3cm batons.
Make Kimchi paste; Mix everything together (chilli flakes, fish sauce and sugar) in a bowl very thoroughly, crushing it again and again by hand (it is best to put on kitchen gloves) so that it becomes as soft as possible. In the end, a dark red mass should be created, whose individual components are no longer clearly recognizable.
Crush the mixture repeatedly by hand with a kitchen glove on until it becomes a paste.
Dissolve a handful of glutinous rice flour in room temperature water. Put it in a saucepan and bring it to boil at medium-low heat until thickened. Add in the kimchi paste. Leave to cool.
Wash the Chinese cabbage thoroughly, drain and air dry for 30 minutes. Add the chilli paste and vacuum pack.
Place in a warm place and wait until the bag inflates.
When the pressure subsides from the vacuumed bag, the kimchi is ready.
For the Challans Duck
Heat sous vide or a large deep pot of water. Set sous vide at 56 °C and cook for 35 minutes.
Place the bacon in a pan over low heat. Cook slowly to render bacon fat.
Keep the bacon in the pan and transfer the fat to a sauté pan. Sweat vegetable brunoise in bacon fat. Raise the heat to medium. Stir and cook till vegetables are caramelised.
Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, honey, Plum Sauce and deglaze with duck stock. Bring to boil for 30 minutes.
Add the Premium Light Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce to the pot and simmer at low heat for 1 hour. Season with a pinch of black pepper and salt. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve (either a tamis or chinois sieve). The sauce should be smooth. Set aside and keep warm for later use.
Remove the duck breasts from the vacuum bag.
To serve, season duck breasts with salt and pepper. Place them in a cold non-stick pan skin side down.
Pan-fry at low heat until its skin becomes nice and crispy. Turn the breast over and sprinkle on the skin with a little brown sugar. Place under a preheated grill.
Remove from the grill and rest the meat for 2 minutes. Slice the duck breast evenly about 5 slices. Dress it with reserved sauce and serve.
For the Carrot Puree
Make the roux and set it aside.
Remove baked carrots from the oven. Peel carrots, chop them into smaller pieces and mix with roux and spices. Pass carrots and roux through a fine sieve. Fill the filtered puree into a piping bag.
For the Grilled Tofu
Heat a non-stick pan at medium heat. Add cooking oil and swirl it around. Panfry briefly until it is slightly light golden brown.
For Salad in Passion Fruit Dressing
Dress with the Passion Fruit Dressing Sauce. Set aside to garnish the final dish.
Prepare the pickles and kimchi first. Then prepare the duck, followed by the duck sauce and finally the carrot puree, grilled tofu and salad.
PREP TIME: 60 MINS | COOK TIME: 105 MINS
And don't forget, Chinese meals are made for sharing, so get friends and family together for a feast.
