Duck Soup Recipe

Hot and Sour Duck Soup (Williams Sonoma)

You can get the wood ears (tree fungus) and lily buds at an Asian food store.

- 1/4 cup dried wood ears
- 2 tbsp dried lily buds
- 6 dried shittake mushrooms
- 1 boneless skinless duck breast, cut lengthwise into thin strips then crosswise into 2 inch segments
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp rice wine or dry sherry
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 5 cups (or less) chicken stock [you can cut this with water]
- 1/2 lb firm tofu, cubed into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp chili oil
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 scallions sliced into 2 inch segments

Put the wood ears, lily buds and shittakes into three separate bowls covered with cold water, let soak for 30 minutes. Then drain and thinly slice the wood ears and shittakes, segment the lily buds.

Cut the duck and toss with HALF of each: soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, pepper , black pepper, wine and sugar. Let marinade at room temp for 15-30 minutes.

Bring stock to boil, reduce to a simmer. Add bean curd and soaked fungus from step one. Mix vinegar, chili oil and remaining soy sauce and corn starch until smooth. Stir into stock with duck and marinate, and pepper. Make sure it's simmering and add the egg (duck should only cook a couple minutes). Add remaining sesame oil, ladle into bowls and add scallions.