Chinese wind dried duck?

[Adam Balic]

In my local Chinese supermarket I have noticed cyrovac bags of "Wind dried Duck" legs. What is it, how is it made and can I use it instead of confit duck legs?

[Wilfrid]

Same as wind dried sausage, only it's duck. It has that sweet, slightly alcoholic tang to it that the Chinese sausages do, so I'm not sure where you'd substitute it for confit. I would cleaver it up and drop it in a congee, or just serve it over rice. It's going to be a little chewy. If you see the wind dried pig faces, consider buying them to use as Hallowe'en masks.

[Adam Balic]

Could you make a type of Chinese Cassoulet with the sausage and the duck or would it be to sweet? You understand that I am only trying to impove the cuisine.

[Wilfrid]

I am surprised the Chinese haven't refined their wind-dried items and taken them to a higher level. For example, by pureeing them into a very soft paste.

I think a mixture of the sausages and duck chopped over rice is a very good thing. The meats don't need any further cooking, you understand.

[Liza]

Wind-dried? Honest? I could have sworn it was just a slight breeze.

[Adam Balic]

I am surprised the Chinese haven't refined their wind-dried items and taken them to a higher level.  For example, by pureeing them into a very soft paste.

I think a mixture of the sausages and duck chopped over rice is a very good thing.  The meats don't need any further cooking, you understand.

Wilfrid - The sausage I dig. I mostly steam it then gently fry it to crisp up the skin (I like the carmelisation flavour), slice on the bias and add to rice/curry/stir fry/noodles etc.

With the duck I will steam it in the bag, to warm it through.

Congee is the most refined of rice dishes.

[Wilfrid]

And I like the way the Scots took oatmeal and refined and evolved it until they got porridge.

[tissue]

There is a Cantonese dish that involves sausage & gai lan steamed on top of rice in a claypot. The juice/oil from the sausages drip down into the rice, giving it a nice flavor. The sausages and veggies are removed right before serving, plated separately. Soy sauce is then drizzled onto the rice. Some people don't even eat the sausages at all.