chinese roasted duck

- 1.7kg duck
- 5 slices orange rind
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
glaze
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup (125ml) water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine) or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- Wash the duck and remove any excess fat from inside the cavity. Pat dry with absorbent paper and prick all over. Place in a large saucepan of boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer to a wire rack in a baking tray and refrigerate for 2 hours to dry the skin.
- To make the glaze, place the soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium–high heat and simmer for 1 minute. Add the water, honey, Shaoxing, sugar and Chinese five-spice and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Place the orange rind, star anise and cinnamon inside the duck and fasten the cavity with a metal skewer. Brush the duck with the glaze and place, breast-side down, on an oiled rack in a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes, brushing frequently with the glaze. Turn the duck and brush with glaze. Cook for a further 30 minutes, brushing frequently with the glaze. Slice and serve as part of a salad or with steamed Asian greens and rice. Serves 4.