Skinny Duck Rice Paper Rolls

Skinny duck rice paper rolls are a low fat alternative (with serious calorie & fat content saving) to those from the local Chinese. The calorie saving comes in many forms - the duck is roast and all fat is removed and discarded, the rice paper rolls are so light as they can be served "raw" or baked  but not deep fried.

Now to explain - there are 2 ways to prepare and serve these. They can take the form of duck pancakes served with spring onions, cucumber and hoi sin sauce where the rice paper acts like the pancake. Alternatively they can be created like spring rolls where they are filled, baked in the oven and served warm.

The folding is not that tricky. Have patience and follow the simple instructions below. A great tip is to roll  very tightly but not so tightly that they will tear. Another big plus  - they can be made in advance and enjoyed later either cold or warm.

Serves 2 for light lunch/starter

Ingredients

Rice Paper Rolls
1 duck breast
4 tbsp hoi sin sauce
6/8 rice paper rolls
1/2 carrot
4cm cucumber
3 spring onions
handful fresh coriander (if desired)

Spring Rolls
1 duck breast
4 tbsp hoi sin sauce
1/2 carrot
1/4 red pepper
3 spring onions
small handful beansprouts
small handful fresh coriander (totally optional)

Method

Rice Paper Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC / Gas 8. Score ( cut lines ) in the fat of the duck and season with lots of salt.
2. Place on an oven tray and bake for 35 mins. ( Be prepared for some smoke - this is the fat burning. To reduce this drain the fat from the dish twice during cooking. )
3. Prepare the vegetables - wash the cucumber, cut down lenghtways. Using a tsp scoop out the flesh. Thinly slice. Thinly slice the spring onions lenghtways. Peel, top & tail and thinly slice the carrot.
4. When the duck is cooked remove from the  oven. Remove the fat and discard. Thinly slice the duck.
5. Fill a pyrex bowl with warm water. Soak a rice paper sheet for 1 min until soft.
6. Remove from the bowl, lay on some kitchen paper to drain. Lay flat on a plate.
7. Smear some hoi sin sauce along the rice paper wrapper at a diagonal (from bottom left to top right). Lay down the strips of duck along this line. Sprinkle over a little coriander (optional)
8. Now to fold:, pick up the bottom right corner and tuck it tightly over the duck.Fold in the 2 far corners sticking out and then roll up.
9. Serve with the thin strips of cucumber, spring onion, carrot and a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Spring Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC / Gas 8. Score ( cut lines ) in the fat of the duck and season with lots of salt.
2. Place on an oven tray and bake for 35 mins. ( Be prepared for some smoke - this is the fat burning. To reduce this drain the fat from the dish twice during cooking. )
3. Prepare the vegetables - thinly slice the red pepper, spring onion and carrot. Spritz a wok (or frying pan) with spray oil (or donegal rapeseed oil). When hot quickly stir fry the carrot, spring onion, red pepper and bean sprouts.
4. When the duck is cooked remove from the  oven. Remove the fat and discard. Thinly slice the duck.
   
5. Fill a pyrex bowl with warm water. Soak a rice paper sheet for 1 min until soft.
6. Remove from the bowl, lay on some kitchen paper to drain. Lay flat on a plate.
7. Smear some hoi sin sauce along the rice paper wrapper at a diagonal (from bottom left to top right). Lay down the strips of duck and the vegetables along the line. Sprinkle over  the coriander ( optional )
8. Now to fold : pick up the bottom right corner and tuck it tightly over the duck.Fold in the 2 far corners  that are sticking out and then  continue to roll up.
9. Transfer them to a baking tray and bake for 5 mins until just lightly crisp.
10. Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce.