Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Tofu, Noodles, Arugula, Leeks in Duck Broth

Before it gets a little too rhubarb-y in here, I figured I'd prove that I eat a little bit more than just fruits and jellies. It's been raining hard, and I thought today deserved some soup. Last week was my birthday, so there was a lot of unrestrained eating and drinking of rich things. One of which was a duck. I pulled the breasts for the freezer, and roasted the rest of it to braise in the rendered fat. Oh, was that leg meat good on some rice, alongside the aromatic vegetables that were cooked in the fat as well. (Does that render the vegetable a vegetable any more?)

The carcass was then turned into a flavorful stock, as it had been coated heavily with 5-spice powder when roasted. The stock, nestled in the back of the fridge for such an occasion, was the base for tonight's meal. Just simmered with leeks, garlic and ginger, then lo mein noodles tossed in to cook, heat off and handfuls of fresh from the garden arugula to wilt. I fried up some tofu in soy and honey to sit on top. So satisfying, particularly after getting soaked while you are up on a ladder removing gunk from the clogged gutters.

Tomorrow, we return to the rhubarb channel. All rhubarb, all the time.

5 comments:

  1. This looks really special. Great use of the whole bird!

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  2. Frying tofu in honey?! Never did that before...and I've never cooked with duck! Sounds like you deserved every ounce of richness... Happy (belated) birthday!

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  3. Dane - I love using everything. Gives me such pleasure!

    Rebecca - Thank you for the bday wishes! There was lots of richness!

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  4. You know exactly how much I approve of duck stock. Isn't it amazing how much more interesting tofu gets when one cooks it with meat? Also, nice job with the typing, since I'm sure your hands were shaking terribly from rhubarb withdrawal.

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  5. Peter - I had a rhubarb drip going at the time, so it was all good. Tofu is soo much better with meat!

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