Peking-Style Duck Nachos
Wild duck is not well-suited to the traditional Peking recipe. This variation uses Asian spices and slow braising to infuse the meat with flavor and tenderness, and the fried wontons provide the crispy texture that’s missing when using skinned wild ducks. All the components can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated until ready to assemble. With all the elements made in advance, the nachos come together in just a few minutes.
Serves: 3 - 4 as an appetizer
Time: Braising Duck – 2 – 2 ½ hours
Plum Sauce - 35 minutes
Fried Wontons - 30 minutes
Sriracha Sauce - 5 minutes
Nachos – 15 minutes
Recipes for each of the components are provided below
Braised Asian-Spiced Duck, meat shredded
Asian Plum Sauce (can substitute with store-bought)
Sriracha Sauce
Fried Wontons
3 Tbsp. white sesame seeds, toasted
3 scallions, sliced 1/ 8” thick on a diagonal
To assemble the nachos, arrange wonton chips in a single layer on a platter, top each with a generous portion of the warm braised duck meat, drizzle with plum sauce and sriracha sauce, and sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Braised Asian-Spiced Duck
2 ½ lb. wild ducks, cleaned, skin removed
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
4 slices fresh ginger, about 1/8” thick
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp. honey
¼ c. Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry)
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 ½ Tbsp. rice vinegar
½ star anise
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
10 whole peppercorns
Peel from 1 medium orange, cut into ½” wide strips, dried
2 ½ - 3 cups water
Pat duck dry thoroughly and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add duck and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients, using enough water to come about halfway up the duck. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1-2 hours, turning occasionally, until meat pulls off the bones easily when tested with a fork, adding a little more water if necessary. Remove meat to a bowl and let stand until cool enough to handle. Strain cooking liquid and reserve (there should be ¼ - ½ cup). Pick meat from bones, watching carefully for small broken bones or shot pellets. Toss the meat with up to ½ c. of the reserved cooking liquid. Meat is better made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the cooking liquid in a plastic bag with all the air squeezed out. Drain and reheat before building the nachos.
Asian Plum Sauce
¾ lb. fresh plums, pitted and chopped (peel left on)
2 Tbsp. onion, diced
2 ½ Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
¾ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ star anise
1 whole clove
½ of a 2” piece cinnamon stick
Place plums, onion, vinegar, sugar, soy and Worcestershire sauces, garlic and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the plums are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and pour the sauce into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, return to pot, add anise, clove and cinnamon and simmer until thick but still pourable, about another 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain to remove spices, and refrigerate.
Fried Wontons
6 oz. wonton wrappers
8 c. canola or another deep fry oil
Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 350°.Working in batches, add wontons to oil and stir constantly, turning once, until light brown. Remove from oil when slightly less brown than desired (they will continue to brown when removed from the oil) and drain on a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
Sriracha Sauce
¼ c. sour cream
1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
Whisk sour cream and Sriracha together until well combined. Taste and adjust amount of Sriracha to suit your taste. Keep refrigerated.
On my first trip to Virginia to meet my future in-laws, my husband took me to Wu’s Garden Chinese Restaurant in Vienna, VA. Little did I know how many fond memories would be made and life events celebrated at this restaurant over the next 27 years. Wu’s was also a favorite childhood place for famous chef / restaurateur and Vienna, VA native David Chang. Sadly, Wu’s closed several years ago after 39 years as a culinary landmark.
Wu’s served the best Peking Duck I’ve ever had and is the bar to which our family measures every other duck. So far nothing has come close. The whole Peking Duck was presented at table-side and William Wu, donning a special paper chef’s hat worn only for duck presentations, would skillfully carve off the meat and skin. The meat was tender, with an intensely crisp skin. Some of each was carefully arranged on a thin pancake with plum sauce and sliced scallions then rolled up. Each bite was a rich, sublime experience.