薏莲大鸭 Barley and Lotus Duck Soup

[Ho Kwok Leung]

薏莲大鸭
四季皆宜的汤菜。
食材
毛鸭1只（约1500克），

配料
瘦肉100克，
火腿10克，
浸发虾米35克，
浸发香菇40克，
薏米25克，
干白莲125克，
葱白粒25克，

调料
精盐10克，
味精5克，
绍酒15克，
胡椒粉0.05克，
湿淀粉10克，
植物油25克。

烹饪方法
1.
将鸭宰净后，放在砧板上，用刀割开颈皮，切断颈骨，去掉，留下皮、头。再将上翼膊节处及锁喉骨割离，用左手拇、食、中指钳住近锁喉骨处，右手把胸肉从骨上剥离，并将两肋肉剥离至腹部；左手拿住颈皮，用刀背轻捶背部，使背皮脱离脊骨，起出四柱骨，把皮翻出，割去尾膻，斩嘴留舌，洗净晾干。
2.
将薏米用温水浸泡发大，捡去米壳洗净，白莲放沸水中滚（氽）10分钟捞起，沥干水。
3.
将瘦肉、虾米、火腿、香菇均切成细料，用湿淀粉拌匀放入碗内，加薏米、莲子、精盐2.5克、味精1.5克、绍酒5克、胡椒粉和油搅拌成馅料。
4.
将馅料从鸭颈开口处填入腹腔内，把鸭颈皮打结，以防馅料流出，放入沸水锅中滚半分钟捞起，用清水洗净，再用竹尖在背部戮数个小孔，放入炖盅内，加清水1250克、精盐、绍酒，盖上炖2小时至软烂，上席时放入味精调味便可。

特点
肉料香滑，汤清味美。

**Barley and Lotus Duck Soup**
A nourishing soup dish suitable for all seasons.

**Ingredients**
- 1 whole duck (approx. 1500g)

**Side Ingredients**
- 100g lean pork
- 10g ham
- 35g soaked dried shrimp
- 40g soaked shiitake mushrooms
- 25g barley
- 125g dried white lotus seeds
- 25g chopped scallion whites

**Seasonings**
- 10g salt
- 5g MSG (optional)
- 15g Shaoxing wine
- 0.05g white pepper powder
- 10g wet starch
- 25g vegetable oil

**Cooking Method**
1. Clean and prepare the duck: Place it on a cutting board. Cut open the neck skin, remove the neck bone (keeping the skin and head intact). Separate the wings and collarbone. Use your left hand to hold the collarbone area while peeling the breast meat from the bones with a knife. Continue separating the rib meat down to the abdomen. Hold the neck skin and gently tap the back with the spine of the knife to loosen the skin from the spine. Remove the leg bones, invert the skin, trim off the tail gland, remove the beak (keep the tongue), rinse, and air-dry.
2. Soak barley in warm water until plump; drain and rinse. Blanch lotus seeds in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain.
3. Finely chop lean pork, dried shrimp, ham, and mushrooms. Mix with wet starch in a bowl. Add barley, lotus seeds, 2.5g salt, 1.5g MSG, 5g Shaoxing wine, pepper, and oil to form the stuffing.
4. Stuff the duck’s cavity through the neck opening. Tie the neck skin into a knot to seal. Blanch the duck in boiling water for 30 seconds, then rinse. Pierce small holes in the back with a bamboo skewer. Place in a steaming pot with 1250g water, remaining salt, and Shaoxing wine. Simmer for 2 hours until tender. Add MSG before serving.

**Features**
Tender meat with a clear, fragrant broth.