I had Pressed Duck!

[Chopstix]

There's a sizeable French expatriate community here and quite a good choice of French restaurants. We went to an excellent place (the first French resto established here) last week and had their house specialty -- Pressed Duck. I've never heard of this but it sounded fantastic from the way the French maitre d' so proudly described it. Apparently it's a famous traditional French classic and quite complex to prepare which is why very few restaurants even in France serve this today, according to him.

Anyway, we ordered it and it serves two people. They brought out a whole duck that was roasted brown but still very rare inside. After carving out the two breasts and legs, they placed the carcass vertically into a strange-looking brass apparatus that pressed the bones and flesh into juice (much like what a wine press does with grapes). They pan-fried the breasts while they simmered and reduced the carcass' juices into a rich thick sauce. The breasts were then served with this sauce. There were two options on the sauces -- with red wine or with truffles. We chose the truffles. The dish was simply outstanding. We were each even given a certificate (with serial number 19950) for having had this duck! This experience was so good I just had to share it with you.

I researched the web for Pressed Duck afterwards and Here is what I found about it's history. If or when you get the chance to taste this, go for it!

 

[YT2095]

that sounds Great!

sadly I`ll have to stick to boiling the bones to make stock, I think I would have had the truffle option also, I`ve never tried them before and would like to.

I`m pleased you Did share this

 

[auntdot]

Oh, you mean the duck isn't alive when ...............

That explains a lot.

 

[Chopstix]

Actually, before I heard the maitre d's description of this dish, I was imagining that the duck would be served flattened somehow ... I've seen flattened roasted ducks hanging from Chinese restaurant windows ...

 

[YT2095]

Spatchcock(sp?) is a similar way to what you saw, usualy held flat position with skewers.

maybe that was it?

 

[Chopstix]

Spatchcock(sp?) is a similar way to what you saw, usualy held flat position with skewers.

maybe that was it?

Dunno YT. They were just flattened roasted ducks. Saw this in Hongkong. They looked very different from the normal Chinese roasted ducks. I'll try it next time I have a chance.

 

[kitchenelf]

WOW - If I ever get the opportunity to have it I will - but I must say I think I have just seen a kitchen "gadget" I won't be buying!

 

[XeniA]

Sounds like duck a la mammogram to me ....

 

[buckytom]

so many bad jokes come to mind.

what was the duck pressed for? time? money? pleated pants?

so, chops, pressed duck was all it's quacked up to be?

sorry, haven't had tea yet this morning.

i'm gonna have to try this if i ever see it as a special. i love duck, especially with a red wine reduction.

 

[Chopstix]

Sounds like duck a la mammogram to me ....

LOL!

 

[Chopstix]

what was the duck pressed for? time? money? pleated pants?

Uh, the duck couldn't pay his Bill?
(Hey, since we're talking bad jokes ... )

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

Sounds awesome! I've never heard of that before.

 

[Katie H]

If memory serves, Julia Child mentions pressed duck in her last book, My Life in France. With all the experimentation she put into Mastering the Art...., I'm pretty certain she had to have prepared it a number of times. Now there's a lady who had kitchen gadgets!!!

 

[akwx]

Spatchcock(sp?) is a similar way to what you saw, usualy held flat position with skewers.

maybe that was it?

From the American Heritage Dictionary:
spatch·cock (sp²ch"k¼k) n. 1. A dressed and split chicken for roasting or broiling on a spit. spatch·cock tr.v. spatch·cocked, spatch·cock·ing, spatch·cocks. 1. To prepare (a dressed chicken) for grilling by splitting open. 2. To introduce or interpose, especially in a labored or unsuitable manner: "Some excerpts from a Renaissance mass are spatchcocked into Gluck's pallid Don Juan music" (Alan Rich). [Perhaps alteration of spitchcock, a way of cooking an eel.]

 

[akwx]

The Chinese Pressed Duck

Dunno YT. They were just flattened roasted ducks. Saw this in Hongkong. They looked very different from the normal Chinese roasted ducks. I'll try it next time I have a chance.

There are actually two types of "pressed" duck in the Chinese cuisine:

The 1st type is what you saw in restaurants/BBQ houses. It's called the "Pipa Ap (duck)" as pronounced in Cantonese. The "pipa" (pronounced as pee-pa) comes from the shape of the traditional Chinese musical instrument called the Pipa. When the duck is cut open, it is spread-eagled with Chopstix to the shape of a Pipa, minced garlic, Hoi-Sin & oyster sauce are then used to marinate the duck. The Pipa Ap is then sun-dried for 3 hours before roasting.

The 2th type is what's called the "Laap Ap (duck)", simply a salt preservation process with air-drying, before being sold to consumers. The "Laap Ap" has a very aromatic flavor, and is usually cut into small pieces, to be cooked in water & long grain rice, as they're being simmered into steamed rice. Both the Laap Ap, and the flavored rice, are favorites of mine.

 

[buckytom]

akwx, i've often heard that spatchcocking includes removing bones, not just splitting a bird open.
i've had spatchcocked quail and pheasant, aka semi-boneless, and the only bones left were in the legs and wing tips.

 

[Lynan]

Ayrton, you get the pink ribbon from me for mentioning mammograms in the month of October...duck ones or not!!

Can someone remember which restaurant pressed duck was first presented? I know it was in Paris, and I think it was Tour something.

Edited to add: Got it! Google is great. Tour d'Argent. Yeah.

 

[akwx]

akwx, i've often heard that spatchcocking includes removing bones, not just splitting a bird open.
i've had spatchcoked quail and pheasent, aka semi-boneless, and the only bones left were in the legs and wing tips.

If you're talking about eating Chinese BBQ Duck, pressed or otherwise, then you would be missing the best tasting part of the duck--the bones; wherefore is the seasoning?

I kno nothin' 'bout spatchcocking, or the likes. All's I kno's dat u needed a spell check.

 

[buckytom]

sorry akwx, it appeared you knew something about spatchcocking, having posted a definition.

ok, corrected for spelling. i hate ergonomic keyboards. i'm not in my office tonight.

btw, wouldn't it be the "two types of pressed duck", not ducks.

and steamed, not steam rice.

glass houses, you know...

 

[XeniA]

Now, now boys, stop being snitty ... I do believe on this site "it's the thought that counts" rather than flawless typing.