CANTONESE PRESSED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Place the duck in a large pot; add water to cover. To the water, add the star anise, green onions, ginger root, soy sauces, salt. Cover, turn to high heat. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium, cook duck for 2 hours or until tender. Remove the duck; cool. Skin, debone, shred the duck meat.(Madame Wu adds as an aside here: "If, like many Chinese, you enjoy the skin, leave some of it on as it will produce a crisper texture when deep-fried.") 2. Pack the shredded duck into a square cooking pan to a 3/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle cornstarch generously over one side, then turn it over and do the same on the other side until completely coated. Heat water to boiling in the bottom of a steamer. Place the duck in the top section, cover, steam 30 minutes. Remove, cool; refrigerate overnight. 3. The next day, take the duck out of the refrigerator, cut into 4 quarters and drain on paper toweling so there will be no moisture to splatter. In a deep-fryer, heat the 2 quarts of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Add the duck quarters, deep-fry for 10 minutes, then remove with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Cut into 1-inch squares, place on a serving platter. 4. While the duck is deep-frying, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. Mix together the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, red food coloring. Pour into a skillet; bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and water blend, cook until the syrup thickens to the desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the duck, sprinkle with crushed almonds, serve immediately.