Impress without the stress

If you love to entertain but like to prepare ahead, this no-cook starter, make-ahead sticky duck and a freeze-ahead dessert will suit you down to the ground!

Twice-cooked sticky duck

Cooking this recipe is a staggered process but one that takes all the stress out of doing it on the day, and also guarantees that the meat is tender. The stock you cook the duck in can be used again, and works well for poaching chicken and pork.

Serves 6 Prep 20 mins plus overnight chilling Cook 2 hrs FREEZABLE

FOR THE DUCK

1 strip pared orange zest

6 duck legs

6 garlic cloves, smashed thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced

11/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

100ml dark soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

50ml Shaohsing rice wine

FOR THE GLAZE

1 tbsp honey 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

TO SERVE

halved and sliced cucumber, coriander leaves, sliced chilli, and cooked rice

1 The day before, tip all the ingredients for the duck into a pan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hr 30 mins until the duck is very tender (or a slow cooker for 4 hrs would be ideal). Remove the duck from the liquid, cool, then chill, uncovered. Chill the liquid separately in the fridge too. Can be done up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge, covered, or frozen for up to three months.

2 The next day, skim the fat from the stock, pour 400ml into a pan and simmer down by a third, or until intensely flavoured. The remaining stock can be frozen for another time.