Shredded duck & cucumber lettuce wraps
Duck legs are marinated in ginger, garlic and Chinese spices and served in an egg fried rice.
Ingredients
For the shredded duck
- 2 free-range duck legs, skin on (approximately 460g/1lb)
For the marinade
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh grated root ginger
- 2 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce (ideally chilli bean, chilli garlic or sriracha)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 pinch sea salt
For the lettuce cups
- 1 iceberg lettuce
- 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 50g/1¾oz tinned water chestnuts, drained and sliced
- 4 tbsp spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- hoisin sauce for dipping
For the scrambled eggs
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
For the fried rice
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh grated root ginger
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 head pak choi, leaves separated and sliced into 3mm strips
- 300g/10½oz cooked Jasmine rice, dressed with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1–2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- pinch ground white pepper
- 1 spring onion, trimmed and sliced into rings
To serve
Method
To make the duck, place the duck legs in a zip-lock polythene bag, add all of the marinade ingredients and seal. Chill in the fridge and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a roasting tin with baking paper. Place the duck legs in the roasting tin. Roast for 40 minutes and then turn the heat up to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9. Cook the duck legs for a further 10 minutes until they are medium–well done (the times are approximate as duck leg sizes can vary). Remove and leave the duck to rest for 5 minutes. Shred the boneless side of the duck legs to use in the fried rice. Keep the drumstick to serve. Reserve any roasting juices from the tin.
To make the lettuce cups, separate the iceberg lettuce leaves into single cups. Heat a wok over high heat until it is very hot. Add the oil and once hot, add half the duck meat, chestnuts, spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the rice wine and oyster and soy sauces, then salt and pepper to taste. Finally, drizzle in the sesame oil and place onto a platter. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a separate platter, put the Hoisin sauce in a small bowl and serve.
To make the eggs, heat a wok over a high heat and add the oil. Give the oil a swirl. Add the beaten eggs, stirring for 30 seconds until the eggs are scrambled. Set aside.
To make the rice, reheat the wok over a high heat and add the oil. Very quickly add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry for 1 second. Add the remaining shredded duck and the pak choi, tossing for 5 seconds. Add the rice, stir well, and add the scrambled egg. Season with the soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper. Give it one last stir. Garnish with the spring onions.
Serve the rice immediately with the drumsticks on the side. Spoon the reserved cooking juices over the drumsticks. Serve with the chilli, garlic and chilli sauce.
Recipe Tips
Use any greens in the fried rice, such as baby pak choi, spinach, chard, Chinese leaves or Tenderstem broccoli.
