Recipe Categories
Poultry 
Duck

Lynn's Peking Duck

7 lb LONG ISLAND DUCK 
5 c HOT WATER 
3 tb MALTOSE 
1 tb VINEGAR 
1 tb SHERRY 
1 tb SESAME OIL 
1 tb SUGAR 
1 tb SOY SAUCE 
5 tb HOISIN SAUCE 
12 ea CHINESE PANCAKES, STEAMED 1 x JUST BEFORE SERVING 
1/4 lb SCALLIONS, CUT INTO 24 PIECE 
2 ea CUCUMBERS, PEELED, HALVED, 1 x AND JULIENNE

 1. Clean a fresh duck and pump it full of air through the neck to separate the skin from the meat. (At home, a bicycle pump may be used.) Pour boiling water over the duck three times. Carefully dry duck, slit stomach, and remove innards. 2. Prepare marinade of hot water, maltose, and vinegar. Rub outside of duck all over with the mixture.
3. Hang the duck by its neck at room tempera- ture, about 65 degrees, for at least 12 hours.
 4. The next day, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place duck in pan and cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat to 450 degrees F and cook for additional 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy.
5. To carve the duck, place it breast side up and cut downwards towards the head. Slice thinly. Use only the outer slices-those which have skin. Slice both breasts. Slice the legs, cutting from the joint to the end of the leg. Discard remaining meat (without skin) or use for another dish.
 6. Combine the sherry, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, and Hoisin Sauce.
7. To assemble, place duck slices on pancakes. Add scallions, cucumbers, and Hoisin Sauce mixture to each. Serve. We insist on using Long Island ducks for this, our specialty. When we carve the duck in front of our guests, they may request skin only (the traditional way of eating Peking Duck), skin with meat, or meat from a certain part of the duck. The air separates the skin from the meat; the marinade and the hanging help to a create a deliciously rich, crisp skin.

We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.

- Charles Kingsley