INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

           ACCOMPANIMENTS:
           SMOKING MATERIALS:
* or 2 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each (see note)
Remove fat from duck or hens and discard. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
With the palm of your hands press down on the breastbone to snap the bone
and flatten the bird. Pat dry.
Marinating: In an ungreased skillet or wok over medium heat, toast the
peppercorns and salt until the salt turns a tan color and the peppercorns
are aromatic, about 5 minutes. Finely grind in a food processor or spice
mill and combine with sugar, ginger, onions and wine. Rub mixture
throughout the duck or hens inside and out and place in a shallow
heat-proof bowl (select one that will fit comfortably into the wok or pot
that you will steam in). Cover and marinate overnight or up to 3 days,
refrigerated. Turn every few hours, Remove from the refrigerator. Let the
duck or hens come to room temperature.
Steaming: Fill the bottom of wok or steaming pot with boiling water. Place
bowl with the duck or hens and marinade on a rack over the water. Cover and
steam 1 1/2 hours for duck, 45 minutes for hens.
At 15-minute intervals, check water level and replenish with more water if
needed. Remove hens with their bowl. Cool. Transfer duck or hens to a
cooling rack; scrape off marinade. (Save duck stock. It makes a delicious
cooking stock for vegetables.) Set hens in a cool, airy spot to dry for at
least 4 hours, or refrigerate, overnight, uncovered,
Smoking: Line bottom of a wok with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Mix together
and distribute smoking materials on the bottom. Set a 9 or 10-inch round
cake rack into the wok or devise a rack by crisscrossing 6 wooden
chopsticks in the middle of the wok. Place duck or hens directly on rack.
Turn heat to medium-high. When the smoke begins, cover the wok and smoke
for 10 to 20 minutes, or until duck or hens turn golden brown. Remove from
rack and brush lightly with sesame oil. The hens may be served at this
point or browned.
Browning: Place hens breast side up on a roasting rack in a 425 degree F.
oven for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp the skin.
Serving: Chop duck or hens into bite-size pieces, or remove bones and cut
meat into thin slices. Serve with Lotus buns and accompaniments.
Note: If you are preparing more than 2 hens, you will need to steam and
smoke them in 2 batches.
PER SERVING (duck, not counting lotus buns): 700 calories, 38 g protein, 1
g carbohydrate, 58 g fat (20 g saturated), 168 mg cholesterol,
approximately 1,270 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
Joyce Jue writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 11/25/91.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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