Braised Duck With Mushrooms

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

1 Duck, 4 to 5 pounds

1/2 pound Fresh mushrooms

1 Or

2 Cloves garlic

2 tablespoons Sherry

1 tablespoon Soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1 dsh Pepper

3 -(up to)

4 tablespoons Oil

2 tablespoons Oil

2 -(up to)

3 cups Stock

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

3 tablespoons Water

3 dsh Sesame oil, more or less

Preparation

1. Wipe duck with a damp cloth. With a cleaver chop duck, bones and all, in 2-inch sections. Stem mushrooms and cut in half. Crush garlic.

2. Combine sherry, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a large heavy pan and brown duck quickly. Add sherry-soy mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove duck and seasonings from pan.

4. Heat remaining oil. Brown garlic lightly and discard. Add mushrooms and stir-fry to soften slightly. Then return duck and seasonings.

5. Add stock, bring to a boil; then simmer, covered, until done (about 45 minutes).

6. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken sauce Stir in sesame oil and serve.

VARIATION: Use only 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms. Add 1 cup bamboo shoots and 1 cup celery, both diced; and 1/2 cup water chestnuts, sliced. In step 4, stir-fry vegetables 1 to 2 minutes; then return duck.