Crispy aromatic duck pancakes with cucumber and hoisin

Read the full method and weigh the listed ingredients. Prepare the meat and vegetables as described in the ingredient list, keeping sauce, starch, garnish and working ingredients separate. Clean hands, boards and utensils after handling raw meat.

Pat legs dry. Rub five-spice into the flesh side and season with duck salt. Optional overnight uncovered refrigerated drying adds time outside this default plan.

Heat the oven to 150°C fan / 170°C conventional.

Allow about 15 minutes in total, checking the oven has reached its setting.

Put ginger, garlic, star anise and roasting water in a tin. Put legs skin-up on a rack above the aromatics and cover the tin with foil.

Check the oven setting and carefully put the prepared dish into the hot oven.

Roast covered for 2–2½ hours until meat pulls easily from bones.

Remove foil and raise oven to 210°C fan / 230°C conventional. Check water below the rack has not dried out; add listed top-up water if needed.

Roast for 20–30 minutes until skin is crisp. Watch near the end and prevent the aromatics below from burning.

Check the stated readiness cue using a probe for cooked meat where specified. Carefully take the dish out and set it on a heatproof surface.

Rest uncovered for 10 minutes.

Mix hoisin with sauce vinegar and sauce water until spreadable. Cut cucumber and spring onions into fine strips and keep refrigerated.

Start heating the listed steaming water in a covered saucepan.

Allow water to reach a steady boil.

Put pancakes in the steamer clear of the water and cover. Follow packet guidance.

Steam for 3–5 minutes or follow the packet until hot and supple.

Carefully remove and keep wrapped in a clean towel or covered steamer.

Pull meat from bones and cut crisp skin into small pieces. Serve meat and skin on a warm platter with pancakes, vegetables and sauce. Fill just before eating.