recipe day!

mermaid asked me to "post more recipe stuff" and specifically asked for sticky duck pancakes. whatever you want, mermaid.

what you need:

4 duck portions (breasts or drumsticks)

10ml chinese five spice powder

125ml ready made plum sauce (or make using recipe below)

8 small pancakes (see recipe below)

spring onions

cucumber, cut into think julienne strips

to make plum sauce:

halve and stone 10 ripe plums. place in a pan with 125ml sugar, 5ml chinese 5 spice powder, 30ml light soy sauce, 5ml white wine vinegar, 2.5ml salt, 3-5ml dried crushed chillies (optional) and 5ml grated ginger. simmer for about 40 minutes or until thick and saucy. season to taste

to make pancakes:

whisk 1 large egg, 100ml milk and 40ml water together. sift 100ml cake flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. make a well in the centre of the flour and pour the liquid in. use a whisk to gradually stir in the flour from the sides. whisk until smooth. leave to stand for half an hour. heat a little butter in a small nonstick pan. pour a thin layer of pancake mixture into the pan and swirl it around to cover the base. cook for a minute or two and then flip. repeat with remaining mixture. keep the pancakes stacked and covered until ready to serve.

1. put the duck into a roasting dish, sprinkle with salt and the chinese 5 spice. cover with foil and roast for an hour. remove from oven, uncover and drain off fat

2. pour the plum sauce over the duck and return to the oven to roast uncovered for a further hour or until the meat is tender. place under the grill to crisp up the skin if necessary at the end of the cooking time

3. to serve, pull the meat off the bone. place some of the meat onto a pancake. top with an extra drizzle of plum sauce, some spring onions and cucumber. roll up and serve.

any other recipes you would like to see friends?