Five-spice roast duck

2½ HOURS + RESTING | SERVES 4|EASY

duck 1kg Chinese five-spice powder 11/ tsp 2 plain flour 1 tsp shaoxing chinese cooking wine or white wine 1 tbsp plum sauce 2 tbsp light chicken stock 100ml, hot greens and roast potatoes, or steamed rice and pak choi, to serve

Prick the duck all over with a fork, then sprinkle with the five-spice powder and plenty of seasoning, inside and out, rubbing it in well. Transfer onto a wire rack put in a deep roasting tin. Chill for up to 2 hours (keeping in the fridge until 20 minutes before you are ready to cook). • Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roast the duck for 13/ hours. Check it halfway through 4 cooking and carefully pour or spoon some of the fat out of the tray. Remove the duck from the oven and increase the temperature to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Transfer the duck to a clean roasting tin and return them to the oven for a further 5 minutes to crisp up, then remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes. • Spoon off the fat from the original roasting tin leaving about 1 tbsp of fat and all the cooking juices. Pour all the remaining liquid, apart from a couple of tbsps, into a jug. Put the tin on the hob over a medium heat, add the flour and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck on the bottom. Stir well to combine the flour. Add the shaoxing wine to the tin and simmer, stirring, before gradually adding the reserved juices, plum sauce and chicken stock. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season with black pepper and taste (add more plum sauce for a fruitier gravy). Carve the duck and transfer the gravy to a serving jug.

PER SERVING 495 KCALS | FAT 29G | SATURATES 9G PROTEIN 53G | CARBS 4G | SUGAR 3G | SALT 0.8G