Duck Soup with Märkische Beets (Teltower Rübchen)

Ingredients

• 1 young duck (approx 1.2 kg, ready-to-cook)
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 onion
• 2 Bay leaves
• 4 cloves of mace
• 1 Carrot
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 sprigs fresh lovage
• 2 carrots
• 250 g celery root (with greens)
• 1 parsley root
• 400 g Teltower beetroot
• 300 g leek stalk
• 4 shallots
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the duck inside and out, pat dry, and rub generously with salt and pepper. Peel and halve the onion, then insert it along with bay leaves and mace into a pot. Peel the carrot and cut into large pieces. Add 2-3 liters of cold water to the pot, add the duck, the spiced onion, and carrot, bring to a boil, season, and add lovage. Cover loosely and simmer over low heat for 2 hours, skimming foam and fat periodically.

2. 2.

   After 2 hours remove the duck and carve it into portions. Strain the broth through a sieve into another pot, let cool slightly, and skim off the hardened fat from the surface.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile, wash, peel, and cut carrots, celery root, parsley root, and Teltower beetroot into uniform pieces. Clean and chop leeks into large chunks. Peel and halve or quarter shallots.

4. 4.

   Melt butter in a pot, briefly sauté shallots, add remaining vegetables, and pour in the defatted broth. Place duck portions back in, add some celery greens, bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.