Duck with Mushrooms and Preserved Cabbage

1/2 fat duck

5 large Chinese dried black mushrooms (shiitake)

2 T tung tsai (Chinese preserved cabbage; sold in clay pots)

6 cakes seasoned pressed bean curd

2 green onions

2 slices ginger root, peeled

4 T rice wine or sherry

3 T soy sauce

1 t salt

1/2 C cooking oil.

Preparation:

1. Pluck any hairs off the duck and wash thoroughly. Chop into two equally sized portions. Marinate in the soy sauce and wine and sprinkle on a small amount of salt.

2. Soak the black mushrooms until soft. Remove and discard the stems. Rinse the mushrooms.

3. Rinse off the seasoned pressed bean curd and slice thinly crosswise.

4. Wash the green onions and the ginger. Cut off the root portion of the green onions. Cut at an angle into sections.

Cooking method:

Pour the oil into a wok or frying pan and heat. Fry the duck meat briefly in the oil over high heat. Remove the duck and pour off all but a small amount of the oil. Stir fry the black mushrooms briefly and remove. Fry the seasoned pressed bean curd in the remaining oil, add a little salt, and remove from wok. Return the duck to the wok and pour in the marinade mixture. Turn over the duck to coat evenly with the liquid. Place the green onion and ginger on top of the duck. Add a small amount of water and bring to a full boil. Put in the black mushrooms, then add more water. Cook until the duck is about done, then add the tung tsai. Continue cooking until the duck is completely cooked through. Remove the duck and the tung tsai. Discard the ginger. Put the seasoned pressed bean curd into the liquid remaining in the wok. Add a little salt (or soy sauce) and water. After the pressed bean curd has absorbed the flavors, put on a serving plate. Chop the duck into pieces and arrange over the pressed bean curd. Place the black mushrooms on top, then the tung tsai. Serve.