Borsch with Duck and Prunes
This warming, elegant duck borsch is adapted from a recipe in Olia Hercules’s “Summer Kitchens,” in which she writes about the importance of borsch in Ukrainian cuisine.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time2¾ hours
- 1
In “Summer Kitchens,” Olia Hercules writes about the history of borsch, its importance in Ukrainian cuisine, seasonal and regional influences on the soup, and her own family’s recipes. For our adaptation of her resplendent borsch with duck and smoked pears, we opt to use prunes, a substitution she suggests. You also can replace the duck with a small rack of pork baby back ribs, if you’re so inclined. The borsch is made by simmering duck legs (or pork ribs) with aromatics to make a flavorful broth; the meat then is shredded off the bones and added to the soup at the end. As the broth simmers, aromatics for the borsch are sautéed in a separate pot so they are ready to receive the broth, which is strained directly into the aromatics. The broth requires at least 1½ hours of simmering, so that’s a good time to prep the ingredients—the aromatics, potato, cabbage—for the borsch. But wait to chop the dill garnish until later, while the finished soup stands off heat for 5 minutes, so the herbal flavor and fragrance remain fresh and strong. Serve with rye bread.
Don’t be timid about trimming the duck, if using, of excess fat, as this will prevent the soup from becoming too greasy. Also, don’t cover the Dutch oven when simmering the broth. Allowing some of the moisture to evaporate produces a broth with greater flavor concentration and a richer body.
Step 1
In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and beet; set aside.
In a large pot, combine the duck legs or pork ribs, the roughly chopped carrots, the roughly chopped onion, the celery, bay, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Add 10 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low, adjusting heat to maintain a simmer, until a skewer inserted into the meat meets no resistance, 1½ to 2 hours; occasionally skim off and discard the foam that rises to the surface.
Step 2
While the broth simmers, in a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the finely chopped onion and ½ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the shredded carrot and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the beet-vinegar mixture and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 3
When the duck or pork is tender, remove the pot from the heat and transfer to a plate. Set a fine-mesh strainer over the Dutch oven containing the vegetable mixture, then pour the broth through the strainer; discard the solids in the strainer.
When cool enough to handle, shred the duck into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin and bones; set the meat aside.
Step 4
Add the potatoes and prunes to the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about another 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, along with the shredded meat; remove from the heat and let stand for about 5 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with sour cream and dill.
