My style of Pho

I've studying food for quite a while now and have a particular interest in the Asian style. I love, appreciate, and am fascinated by the cultures, architecture, traditions, and especially the cuisines of the said style. When WOKSTAR asked for people to join her in this pho "project", I was elated to take part. The style of pho I wanted to produce includes one of my favorite foods: Roast Duck.

For the Roast Duck:
1 6lb whole duck, Long Island preferred
2 cups boiling-hot water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Rinse duck inside and out and remove any excess fat from neck, tail, or cavity. Poke skin all over with the point of a sharp pairing knife. Fold neck skin under body, then put duck, breast side up, on a rack in a deep roasting pan and pour boiling-hot water over duck to tighten up the skin. Let duck sit and allow to cool and pour out any water from cavity into pan. Pat duck dry inside and out and season with salt and pepper. Place duck inside oven, breast side up, for approximately 30-45 minutes. Rotate duck and roast for another 30-45 minutes. Flip up duck to drain any liquid from cavity into pan. Rotate back to original position and continue to roast duck until skin is brown and crisp. When duck is finished roasting, allow duck to drain any more liquid into pan. Transfer duck to a cutting board and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Once meat is removed reserve bones for broth.

For the broth:

Bones of the duck
3 oz shredded carrots
1/2 medium onion, julienne
1 leek, dark green parts cut and discarded, cut 3" julienne
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 qt chicken stock
1 qt beef stock
1 knob of ginger
1 lemon grass stalk, crushed with back of knife
2 ounces whole star anise pods
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon white sugar
Sea salt to taste

Place the duck bones in a stock pot. Season with salt, and fill pot with chicken and beef broth. Add in vegetables. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 hours. Assemble the anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger in a bouqet garni or place in a spice bag; add to the soup. Stir in sugar, salt and fish sauce. Simmer for at least 4 hours. Check broth for seasoning. Strain broth and keep hot.

For the vegetable ganish:

4 Shiitake Mushroom caps, sliced julienne and lightly saute
2 oz shredded Napa cabbage
1/4 red onion, sliced paper thin
2 Serrano chiles, sliced paper thin
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 lb Lo mein noodles (what I used this time)

1 gl boiling salt water

Cook noodles in boiling water for approximately 10-12 minutes. Strain and run cold water over noodles to stop cooking process.

To assemble pho:

I place noodles and duck meat into bottom of bowl. Next, pour hot broth over noodles to heat through. Add vegetable garnishes of choice and enjoy!