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Duck broth with peas and Spätzle

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for duck broth with peas and Spätzle.

By Rodney Dunn
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 2 hrs 25 mins cooking
  • Serves 12
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Duck broth with peas and Spätzle
Some recipes call for pushing the Spätzle mixture through a colander into boiling water, but piping them in is an easier and cleaner way to do it.

Ingredients

  • 1 duck (about 2.2kg)
  • 2 each onions, carrots, celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 1 head of garlic, halved
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • 300 gm peas, podded
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Spätzle
  • 125 gm plain flour
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 20 gm butter, melted
  • To taste: finely grated nutmeg

Method

Main
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 250C. Cut duck through the bone into 16 pieces, place in a single layer in a large roasting pan, roast until golden (12-15 minutes). Remove from pan, pat off excess fat with absorbent paper and combine in a large saucepan with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaves and 3 litres water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer, skimming occasionally, until meat falls from the bone (1½-2 hours). Remove duck, coarsely shred meat (discard skin and bones) and return to broth. Add peas, thyme and cinnamon and simmer until peas are tender (2-3 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for Spätzle, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Mix flour, eggs, butter and 60ml water in a bowl until smooth and combined, season to taste with sea salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 5mm-nozzle and pipe in batches into boiling water, cutting at 2cm-intervals with kitchen scissors. Cook until Spätzle rise to the surface (1-2 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and add to broth, ladle among small bowls and serve immediately.