Duck Soup with Apples and Cider

2016-02-29

If you have ever tried a duck and apple recipe, you know that this combination is a winner. The apples and cider create a tart contrast to the sweet duck flavor, even in a soup.

Make sure not to boil the apples too long or they’ll lose all flavor. On the other hand, the flavors will mature and transfer to the stock, which is a nice bonus when you overnight the soup.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 4 quarts:

3 qts of duck stock
1-2 Granny Smith apples
12 fl. oz. hard or regular cider (1 small bottle)
2-4 carrots, peeled, sliced thin
1 medium onion, peeled
S&P
optional vegetables
- cauliflower, 4 florets
- 1 stalk of celery, cut ½” pieces
- 10 Brussels sprouts
- ¼ medium white cabbage

Pic1: Duck Soup with Apples and Cider

Directions

Pic2: duck gelatin and fat
Pic3: making duck stock: boiling necks and bones etc.

Making duck stock:

If you have just cooked a duck, pour the drippings / gelatin (Pic2) in a medium stock pot.
Reserve the fat. If you don't have it, that's OK. Just skip this.
Add the carcass, neck, bones and also the giblets if you won’t use them for something else.
Cover with water, add S&P, seasoning to taste.
Bring to a boil; then simmer covered until the bones come apart.
Separate the meat from the bones.
Discard the bones or boil again later to make a weaker stock for future use.
Return the meat to the stock.

Pic3: onion, cauliflower, carrots
Pic4: apples, cabbage, Brussels sprout

If you want to add additional duck legs or wings to eat with the soup, do it now and simmer 10 minutes before adding the vegetables to ensure those pieces will be fully cooked.
Add the carrots, whole onion and optional vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage.
These strong-tasting cabbages will tend to overpower the more delicate apple flavor. Without them, one apple would be enough.
Simmer 10 minutes.
This soup tastes better with some duck fat floating on top. That really enhances the flavors. If there is not enough, add a few tablespoons of duck fat until it covers about half of the surface.
Add the apples. Simmer until the apples start softening. (about 5 minutes)
Remove from the heat and break up the apples. The pieces will float on top of the soup. (Pic1)
Adjust seasoning.
Optionally stir in the cider for additional tartness.
If sufficiently tart, don’t let it go to waste. Give it to the cook.
Serve immediately (Pic1)

Like many soups and stews, the flavors in this soup will mature overnight. There probably won’t be any pieces of apple after warming up the soup the next day, but the soup itself will have acquired a distinctive apple flavor. If this is your goal, be sure to prepare the soup at least a day ahead.

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org