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Soups

Duck Consommé with Ginger

A clear, deeply savory broth of duck legs simmered slowly with ginger, star anise, and scallion, strained, and served with tender shredded duck, mushrooms, and bok choy.

Why you'll love Duck Consommé with Ginger

A consommé is a broth so clear you can see the bottom of the bowl, and so concentrated it tastes like the essence of what went into it. This one is built from duck legs browned and then simmered for two hours with ginger, star anise, and scallion in chicken bone broth. The result is rich, golden, and warming, with the duck's depth and ginger's bright heat.

Clarity comes from patience. Browning the legs first gives the broth its golden color and roasted flavor, and then the pot is kept at the barest simmer, with only a bubble breaking the surface now and then. A rolling boil churns the fat and proteins into the liquid and clouds it; a gentle simmer lets them rise so you can skim them away. Straining through cheesecloth finishes the job. The duck meat, now tender, is shredded back into the bowls.

It is a soup for cold nights and for the days you want something nourishing and light.

Quick overview: This Duck Consommé with Ginger takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 2 hr 50 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 1 1/2 cups. You'll need a dutch oven and a fine sieve.

Jump to recipe

Clear duck consommé with shredded duck, shiitake and bok choy
Prep 20 minCook 2 hr 30 minTotal 2 hr 50 minServes 4Serving about 1 1/2 cupsYou'll need Dutch oven, Fine sieve

Ingredients

  • 4 duck legs (about 2 1/2 lb)
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 8 cups chicken bone broth Label: chicken bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • a 3-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced, plus 1 tsp finely julienned to serve
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 4 scallions, white parts whole and green parts sliced, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tbsp tamari Label: water, soybeans, and salt
  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
  • 2 heads baby bok choy, quartered
  • Make it from scratch: Chicken Bone Broth

Instructions

  1. Brown the duck: Pat the duck legs dry and season with the salt. Lay them skin side down in a large, cold Dutch oven, set over medium heat, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and much of the fat has rendered. Turn and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Pour off the fat into a jar.
  2. Simmer gently: Add the broth, sliced ginger, star anise, scallion whites, and garlic. Bring just to a simmer, then lower the heat until only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. Cook uncovered for 2 hours, skimming off any foam and fat that rises.
  3. Shred the duck: Lift out the duck legs and let them cool slightly. Pull the meat from the bones in bite-size shreds, discarding the skin and bones.
  4. Strain: Line a sieve with a double layer of damp cheesecloth and set it over a clean pot. Ladle the broth through without pressing on the solids, which would cloud it. Stir in the tamari and taste for salt.
  5. Cook the vegetables: Bring the strained broth to a gentle simmer, add the mushrooms and bok choy, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bok choy is tender-crisp.
  6. Serve: Divide the shredded duck among bowls, ladle the broth and vegetables over it, and finish with the scallion greens and julienned ginger.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate the broth and duck separately for up to 4 days. The fat rises and sets on top of the chilled broth; lift it off for the clearest broth, or stir it back in for richness.

Freeze the strained broth for up to 3 months. Add the vegetables fresh when you reheat it.

Variations

  • With egg: Drop a soft-boiled egg, halved, into each bowl.
  • Lemongrass: Add a bruised stalk of lemongrass with the ginger.
  • Chicken: Use chicken thighs in place of the duck legs, simmering 1 hour.
  • Spicy: Add a sliced red chile to each bowl.

Notes and tips

  • Keep it at a bare simmer: A gentle simmer keeps the broth clear.
  • Skim often: Skimming in the first 30 minutes removes most of what would cloud the broth.
  • Save the duck fat: It is wonderful for roasting vegetables.
  • Check the broth label: Bone broth should be bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Duck brings protein, iron, and B vitamins, and its slow-simmered meat is tender and rich.
  • Bone broth brings savory depth and a warming, nourishing base.
  • Fresh ginger brings warmth and a bright bite, and star anise adds a gentle, sweet aroma.
  • Mushrooms and bok choy add fiber and vitamins and make the soup a meal.
  • As you eat, notice the warmth of the ginger and the depth of the broth, and pay attention to how a slow, warm bowl of soup makes you slow down.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Duck Consommé with Ginger? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Why is my broth cloudy?

It boiled. Keep it at the barest simmer and strain it without pressing on the solids.

Where do I find duck legs?

At the butcher counter, or frozen in many grocery stores.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. The broth tastes even better the next day.

Can I use regular chicken broth?

Yes, choose one with a clean label. Bone broth gives a richer body.

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Tags: Soups, French-Asian, Dairy-Free