Family Recipe 32 - Braised Duck Heads & Spicy Stir-fried Duck Necks

Braised Duck Heads Ingredients: Duck heads, braising liquid, rice wine, soy sauce, rock sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, chili peppers, ginger Instructions: 1. Chop duck heads and necks for easier cleaning. Peel the skin from the neck. Be careful during cleaning to remove the hair follicles and fine hairs on the skin, as well as the lymph nodes inside the skin. 2. Bring the old braising liquid to a boil, then add rice wine, soy sauce, rock sugar, chili peppers, and ginger. Put star anise and Sichuan peppercorns into a spice bag, tie it up, and add it to the braising liquid (leave the chili peppers whole, just smash the ginger). 3. Add duck necks, duck heads, and duck skin in order. Once boiling, turn to low heat, cover, and braise for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, do not lift the lid, and let it soak for 2 hours to absorb flavor. Spicy Stir-fried Duck Necks Ingredients: Braised duck necks, scallions, ginger, garlic, chili peppers, braising liquid Instructions: 1. Chop the chilled braised duck necks into pieces. Slice the duck skin. 2. Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers until fragrant. Add the duck necks and duck skin, and stir-fry evenly. 3. Add a few spoonfuls of the braising liquid and stir-fry over high heat until the sauce thickens. If you don't have old braising liquid at home, you can quickly make your own. Using chicken broth instead of water will be better. Although the flavor won't be as good as old braising liquid, it will be much better. After braising, let the liquid cool, store it in a sealed container, and put it in the freezer. When you want to braise again, take it out to thaw. There are many variations for spice blends. My family only uses Sichuan peppercorns and star anise. If you're unsure, you can directly use a store-bought spice packet or ask a Chinese herbalist for help. After refrigerating, the duck necks become firm, making them less likely to break when chopping. Using the braising liquid for seasoning enhances the braised flavor without overpowering it.