Shrove Tuesday: Crispy Chinese Duck with Hoisin Sauce and Pancakes

In an increasingly secular society, Shrove Tuesday manages to retain popularity. Although it is doubtful that a religious celebration revolving around pancakes could ever fall out of favour. Even Lent, the practice of fasting to commemorate Jesus’ suffering in the desert has been appropriated by the detox brigade. It is redemption - a second chance at failed New Year’s Resolutions and the rebirth of the opportunity to give up coffee, chocolate or whatever vice you may have. 

Shrove Tuesday was originally a way of using pancakes as a carrier for eggs, sugar and whatever rich foods you had lurking in the cupboard that you wanted rid of before Lent. Personally, if I attempted to rid my cupboards of rich foods it would likely take me longer than forty days so I tend not to approach it this way but rather as an excuse to eat pancakes for dinner on a school night. 

I’m a fan of having two courses of pancakes (three would just be gluttony) so I have the traditional crêpes with lashings of sugar and lemon as a dessert and crispy duck with hoisin sauce as the savoury course. Chinese New Year begins the day before Shrove Tuesday, so this is a nice way of celebrating both occasions (if you don't mind double cultural appropriation!).

Crispy shredded duck pancakes (Serves 2 and assumes a crêpe dessert afterwards)

For the duck

1 duck crown

3 tbsp chinese five spice (shop-bought or 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp szechuan pepper, 2 star anise, 1 tsp cloves and 1 tsp ground cinnamon)

4 tbsp honey

For the hoisin sauce

5 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp sesame seed oil

1 tbsp Gochujang (or any hot sauce)

1 tsp dark muscovado sugar

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

For the pancakes

225g plain flour

175ml boiling water

To serve

3 spring onions, shredded
Half a cucumber, center removed and julienned


If possible, try and marinate the duck the day before in order to let the flavours fully develop. Score the skin of the duck and buff away as much moisture as you can with kitchen paper. 
If making the five spice from scratch, simply combine the spices in a food processor or hand blender and blitz until most of it is powder.

Cover the skin of the crown with the honey and then massage in the the five spice powder, ensuring the duck is evenly covered. 

Place in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees and cook until the juices of the duck run clear and the skin is crisp. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of your crown. Crispier skin can be achieved by placed the duck under a hot grill for a few minutes. Cover the crown with foil and allow to rest for at least fifteen minutes.

To make the pancakes, place the flour in a large bowl and add the boiling water. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine the mixture and then bring in together with your hands, kneading until smooth.

Divide the dough into balls weighing around 25g (you should get around 18 and you don't have to use them all). Roll the balls out on a floured surface to around the depth of a 5p coin.

Sprinkle some flour onto a frying pan and heat gently. Place the pancakes into the pan and allow to cook until golden spots appear. Set aside.

To make the hoisin sauce simply combine the all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add more hot sauce to taste if you fancy it. 

Begin shredding the duck with two forks, it should come away from the carcass easily. Don't discard the skin- it's arguably the best bit. To heat the pancakes, place in a steamer for a few minutes until warmed through. I use a vegetable steamer, but if you have a proper Chinese one it would obviously be ideal.

Place everything on the table (not forgetting the spring onions and cucumber) and assemble your pancakes as you see fit. Enjoy!