Peking duck

One 2-3kg (5-6 lb) duck
2 litres (3½ pints, 8 US cups) water
1 slice ginger
1 spring onion, cut into halves
3 tblsp honey
1 tblsp white vinegar
1 tblsp rice wine or dry sherry
1½ tblsp cornflour or rice flour, dissolved in 3 tblsp water
Spring onions for garnish

Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck. Hang up in a cool, windy place for 4 hours.

Fill a large pan with water. Add ginger, spring onion, honey, vinegar and rice wine or dry sherry. Bring to the boil.

Pour in dissolved cornflour or rice flour, stirring continuously until the mixture changes colour and thickens slightly.

Place the duck in a large strainer standing in a large bowl. Scoop ladlefuls of the boiling mixture over every surface of the duck for about 10 minutes.

Hang duck up again in a cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.

Place the duck, breast side up, on a greased rack in an oven preheated to 180ºC (350ºF, gas mark 4). Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in the bottom of the oven to catch drippings. Roast for 30 minutes.

Turn duck over and roast for a further 30 minutes.

Turn duck breast side up again and roast for 10 minutes more.

Use a sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately on a pre-warmed dish.

The duck is eaten hot with Hoisin sauce rolled in mandarin pancakes. Garnish with spring onion brushes (which are used to brush the sauce onto the duck meat).