Dried Bamboo Shoot and Old Duck Pot-au-Feu

笋干老鸭煲

Dried Bamboo Shoot and Old Duck Pot-au-Feu — Jiangsu-ZhejiangHangzhou, Zhejiang home cooking.

Ingredients

• whole old duck (3+ years), cut into 8 pieces, giblets reserved
• dried bamboo shoots (sun-gan sun), soaked 48h, sliced 3 mm thick
• ginger, smashed
• Shaoxing wine
• scallions, white parts only, tied in bundle

Instructions

1. Rinse duck pieces under cold water. Blanch in large pot with ginger slices and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine for 5 minutes. Discard water, rinse duck, and pat dry. (Water turns cloudy pink; foam rises steadily)
2. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sear duck pieces until deeply browned on all sides (8–10 min). Remove and set aside. (Skin blisters and curls at edges; rich mahogany color develops)
3. Add soaked bamboo shoots to same pot. Stir-fry 3 minutes until aroma intensifies. Return duck, add remaining Shaoxing wine, scallion bundle, and enough boiling water to cover by 3 cm. (Shoots darken to tan; fragrance shifts from grassy to toasted nut)
4. Bring to bare simmer (tiny bubbles), then cover and reduce heat to lowest possible setting. Simmer gently for 3 hours, skimming foam occasionally. (Surface shimmers with intermittent pinprick bubbles)
5. Uncover, increase heat to medium. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes to concentrate broth. Skim excess oil. Taste and adjust only with salt—if needed. (Broth coats back of spoon thickly; reduces by ~⅓ volume)