For the final entry in the Seven Wonders series I wanted to try to make something that was WAY FAR OUT of my seasoning and spice comfort zone in order to push myself to switch it up every once in a while with some Sriracha and lime.
The detour from homemade Duck Confit and Mushroom Pierogi to Duck Pho turned out to be a wild and inspiring ride. I was nervous to deal with a whole duck and quarter it myself and was concerned that the spices required to make the stock were just too out there. If I ruined this I’d have wasted a $21 bird and an entire day of cooking. That’s some serious pressure!
My husband and I went out to dinner one night and he ordered Smoked Duck Pierogi as an appetizer. They were simply….to die for. There was a red cabbage slaw on the side and some sort of delicious sauce that could be drizzled. I think we were three steps from heaven.
I had the rare opportunity a couple of weeks ago to spend an entire Sunday cooking. We weren’t exactly snowed in, but close enough. I had purchased a whole duck at the West Side Market and used a YouTube video to learn how to quarter it. It wasn’t all that terrible but I think I’ll ask the butcher to do it himself next time.
It was only after quartering the duck and sending it off to confit land in the oven when I realized that I had a duck carcass that I could never in a million years throw in the garbage. I had to figure out something to do with it and a little online research provided the right dose of inspiration. I did have to buy a lot of seasonings that I don’t normally keep on hand (coriander seeds, anise seeds, cinnamon sticks) but it was well worth the extra expense since I think I’ll be playing around with different versions of Pho for weeks to come.
The dish was really complex in its flavoring and had enough heat to bring some color to your cheeks. I served it for my usual suspects at our monthly wine night and it went over really well- probably because the dish itself is just so beautiful! It was nice for me to serve because the work was done so far in advance that I didn’t have to be away in the kitchen all night.
Look for the duck confit pierogi entry at a later date… and enjoy your Duck Pho!
Duck Pho
1 duck carcass (whole or halved, remove insides, keep the neck)
1 shallot, halved
3 cloves garlic
5 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons of anise seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
8 sprigs fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ lb fresh shitake mushrooms
Salt
Thin rice noodles
One baby Bok Choy, chopped
Garnishes:
Bean sprouts
Sriracha
Lime wedges
Green onion, sliced thin
Cilantro
Stock:
Place duck carcass in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and add the coriander seeds, cloves, anise, ½ of the cilantro, shallot and garlic. Let simmer uncovered for approximately three hours. You will need to skim off the foam that will rise to the top during the first 30-45 minutes but afterwards just let simmer slowly.
After 3 hours or so, strain stock into another pot using a colander and cheesecloth. Add in sliced fresh shitake mushrooms and let simmer for 10 minutes or so, until tender. Add fish sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
In another pot bring cold water to boil and add in your rice noodles. Cook according to the directions on the box and rinse in COLD water to stop the cooking. Rinse well enough so that the noodles aren’t sticky anymore.
Pho:
To assemble the Pho, place a good portion of noodles in the center of a shallow dish, pour the duck stock over the noodles, making sure to include the bok choy and mushrooms. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, more fish sauce if you like, Sriracha (lots) and green onions. It makes for a beautiful dish that will impress your guests PHO SHO.
Discover. Unearth. Savour. 