DUCK WITH HERBS

Ingredients

• 3.5 pounds (one whole duck, 3–4 lb) Whole duck (A standard whole duck from the butcher or supermarket works well. Ask your butcher to clean it if needed.)
• 0.25 pound Pork fat (or fatty pork belly) (Cut into small pieces, about 1-inch chunks. Pork belly or lard-style pork fat works well. This lines the pan and prevents sticking while adding rich flavour.)
• 1 medium Onion (Finely minced.)
• 2 stalks Celery stalks (Finely minced.)
• 1 lemon's worth of peel Lemon peel (Use a fine grater or zester to grate the outer yellow skin only, avoiding the bitter white pith.)
• 0.25 clove Garlic (Grated or very finely minced. A small amount — just a hint of garlic flavour.)
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce (syou) ('Syou' is an old romanisation of the Japanese word for soy sauce (shoyu). Use regular light soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce.)
• 1 tablespoon Mixed spices (In the context of this 1914 recipe, 'mixed spices' likely refers to a blend of warming ground spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper. Use a pre-blended 'mixed spice' or 'five spice' powder, or combine equal parts of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground white pepper.)
• 1 cup Stock (chicken or duck) (Use a good-quality chicken or duck stock. A store-bought stock works fine for beginners.)
• 12 mushrooms (one dozen) Mushrooms (White button or cremini mushrooms work well. Washed and halved if large.)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Regular table salt or fine sea salt.)
• 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley (Roughly chopped. Added at the very end for freshness.)

Instructions

1. 1Remove the duck from its packaging and pat it dry thoroughly — inside and out — with paper towels or a clean damp cloth. Check the cavity for any giblets or neck bones and remove them. If the duck has any visible pin feathers (small stiff quills), use tweezers or pliers to pull them out. This step ensures the skin will crisp properly and the bird is clean before cooking. Tip: Drying the duck well is important — any moisture will cause the fat to spit and the skin to steam rather than brown.
2. 2Finely mince the onion and both celery stalks. Grate the lemon peel using the fine side of a box grater or a zester — you want only the yellow outer layer, not the white pith underneath. Grate or very finely mince the quarter clove of garlic. Set all of these aside in a small bowl. Tip: Mincing everything finely means the aromatics will melt into the braising liquid and create a more cohesive sauce rather than sitting as chunks.
3. 3Choose a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven large enough to hold the whole duck — a 5–6 quart pot is ideal. Cut the pork fat into small 1-inch pieces and lay them evenly across the bottom of the cold pot. Scatter the minced onion, celery, grated lemon peel, and grated garlic evenly over the pork fat pieces. Sprinkle the salt over the aromatics. Tip: Starting in a cold pot lets the pork fat render slowly and prevents the aromatics from burning before the duck goes in.
4. 4Place the prepared duck breast-side up on top of the pork fat and aromatics in the pot. Sprinkle the tablespoon of mixed spices evenly over the duck. Pour the two tablespoons of soy sauce over and around the duck. Pour in the cup of stock. The liquid should come about 1–2 cm up the sides of the pot — it will not fully submerge the duck, which is correct for braising. Tip: This is a braise, not a boil. The duck cooks in steam and a small amount of liquid, which keeps the meat moist and tender.
5. 5Place the pot over medium heat. Once you hear the liquid beginning to bubble, reduce the heat to low — you want a gentle, steady simmer, not a rolling boil. Place a lid on the pot, leaving it slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Cook for 2 hours, basting the duck every 20–25 minutes. To baste: use a large spoon or a basting brush to scoop up the cooking liquid from the bottom of the pot and pour or brush it over the top of the duck. This keeps the exposed parts of the duck moist and helps build flavour. Tip: A gentle simmer is key — if the heat is too high, the meat will toughen. Low and slow is what makes the duck tender.
6. 6While the duck is in its final 15 minutes of cooking, rinse the mushrooms under cold running water and gently pat them dry with paper towels. If any are very large, halve them. After the duck has simmered for 2 hours, add the mushrooms directly into the pot, nestling them into the braising liquid around the duck. Replace the lid (slightly ajar again) and continue to cook on a gentle simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and have absorbed the braising flavours. Tip: Don't add the mushrooms too early — they cook quickly and can become rubbery if overcooked.
7. 7Carefully lift the duck out of the pot and place it on a large chopping board or plate to rest. Use tongs or two large spoons to support the duck as you lift it — it will be very tender. Ladle the mushrooms out of the pot and set them aside in a bowl. Now thicken the remaining braising liquid into a gravy: mix 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch (or rice flour) with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small cup until smooth. Bring the pot liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon, about 2–3 minutes. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley. Tip: Add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time and stop when you reach the thickness you like — it thickens quickly. Note: The original recipe specifies cornstarch or rice flour as the thickener; the recipe does not include these in its ingredient list, so use whichever you have available.
8. 8Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut the duck into serving pieces — not too small. A good approach is to first remove the legs (cutting through the joint where the thigh meets the body), then the wings, then slice the breast into thick pieces. Arrange the pieces on a serving dish or in a shallow bowl. Spoon the mushrooms and the thickened, herb-flecked gravy generously around and over the duck pieces. Serve immediately while hot, alongside steamed white rice. Tip: The duck will be very tender after 2 hours of braising — the meat may fall away from the bone easily, which is perfectly fine. Use a sturdy knife or scissors rather than trying to carve it neatly.