Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons plum sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 duck confit legs (about 14 ounces)
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil
  • 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, thinly sliced into matchsticks (about 2 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 20 (8-1/2-inch) round rice paper wrappers

Method

  • Place all of the measured ingredients in a small bowl, season with pepper, and stir to combine; set aside.
  • Remove the skin from the duck legs and discard.
  • Remove the meat, shred it into small pieces, and place in a large bowl (you should have about 3 cups).
  • Discard the bones.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring rarely, until browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer to the bowl with the duck meat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and place over medium heat until shimmering.
  • Add the carrot and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the five-spice and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the carrot-onion mixture to the bowl with the meat and mushrooms.
  • Add the water chestnuts and cilantro to the bowl and stir to combine.
  • Taste and season the filling with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  • Place a clean, damp kitchen towel on a work surface.
  • Fill a medium frying pan or wide, shallow dish large enough to hold the rice paper wrappers with hot tap water.
  • Working with 1 wrapper at a time, completely submerge the wrapper until it is soft and pliable, about 15 seconds.
  • Remove from the water and place on the towel.
  • Working quickly, place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling across the wrapper about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom and leaving about 1 inch of space on each side.
  • Fold the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling.
  • Holding the whole thing firmly in place, fold the sides of the wrapper in.
  • Then, pressing firmly down to hold the folds in place, roll the entire wrapper horizontally up from the bottom to the top.
  • Place on a baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  • Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
  • Leave 3/4 inch between each spring roll so they dont stick together, and replace the water in the pan or dish with hot tap water as needed.
  • Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-frying/candy thermometer.
  • Set a wire rack over a baking sheet; set aside.
  • When the oil is ready, add 3 of the spring rolls.
  • Fry, moving the spring rolls with tongs as necessary to keep them from touching and sticking together, and turning occasionally until crispy (they will not turn golden brown), about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Using the tongs, transfer the spring rolls to the rack.
  • Repeat with the remaining spring rolls.
  • Let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
  • Cut each spring roll in half on the bias and serve with the dipping sauce.