Open Fire Duck Noodle Soup with Grilled Duck Breast
By Andrew Zimmern
In this episode of Wild Game Kitchen, I’m transforming a beautiful wild duck into two dishes that showcase the versatility of this delicious game bird. First, I’ll utilize the breast for a simple grilled appetizer inspired by Japanese tataki—duck seasoned with scallion, ginger and Thai chiles, finished with a dramatic sizzle of hot oil and black vinegar (get the recipe). Then, I’ll use the rest of the duck to make open fire duck noodle soup, starting with a rich, fortified duck and lemongrass broth. The dish comes together with braised dark quarters, fresh egg noodles, lots of aromatic herbs, bean sprouts and squeeze of lime.
Watch episodes of Wild Game Kitchen on Tastemade.
Duck Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck
- 1 stalk lemon grass
- 1 2-inch piece ginger, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 star anise bud
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons all-natural aged soy sauce
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 pound fresh Chinese or Thai thin egg noodles
- 1/2 pound bean sprouts
- Several sprigs of Thai basil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Chile oil or chile crisp, for serving
Instructions
Break down the duck into 6 pieces — 2 boneless breasts, 2 wings, 2 dark quarters. Reserve the carcass for making the broth. Reserve the boneless breasts for grilling later.
Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat. Cut the carcass in half and add it to the pot with the wings and dark quarters. Cook until all pieces have browned on at least one side.
Add the stalk of lemon grass, ginger, garlic, onion, star anise bud and black peppercorns. Pour in 2 quarts chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook at low simmer for 90 minutes.
Remove the dark quarters and take the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Reserve the meat.
Strain the rest of the broth and discard the solids, reserve the broth back to the pot. Season with soy sauce, and slide the reserved dark meat back into the soup along with the sliced carrots. Place the pot back over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, score the skin of the duck breasts so that the skin doesn’t curl. Season well with salt and a drizzle of neutral oil. Grill the duck breasts skin side down over medium direct heat to render and crisp the fat. Flip and cook for a few minutes more until medium rare. Let rest before slicing.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. Divide into 4 individual serving bowls.
Add some bean sprouts, Thai basil and sliced shallots to the individual bowls with the noodles. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Add the sliced grilled duck breast. Garnish with lime wedges and chile crisp. Serve right away.
