Duck Soup with Cherries and Dumplings - photo 1
← Recipes

Duck Soup with Cherries and Dumplings

Pikantne Regional Cuisine of Poland Main Dishes 120 min Hard 26 wyświetleń ~40.14 PLN * - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Czernina is a traditional Polish soup made from blood and meat broth with a deep, sweet-and-sour flavor. This version combines classic czernina with seasonal cherries, which add fruity tartness and juiciness, along with delicate drop dumplings that subtly balance the intensity of the soup. The dish has roots in noble and regional Polish cuisine, where czernina was served both at celebrations and as a hearty winter meal. I recommend serving it with fresh parsley and a bit of butter for shine; it works well as a main dish for a family dinner or a special occasion. In flavor: a noticeable deep note of roasted meat, hints of sweetness (sugar, possibly honey), acidity from vinegar, and a fruity, slightly tart note of cherries.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (22)

Servings:
4
  • Duck 2000 g
  • Duck meat 250 g
  • Water 2000 ml
  • Carrot 2.5 szt. (~200 g)
  • Celery 150 g
  • Onion 1 szt. (~150 g)
  • Garlic 3 ząbki (~15 g)
  • Apple cider vinegar 80 ml
  • Sugar 50 g
  • Cherry 300 g
  • Wheat flour 200 g
  • Chicken egg 2 szt. (~120 g)
  • Milk 100 ml
  • Butter 30 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Parsley 100 g
  • Bay leaf 10 szt. (~3 g)
  • Allspice (berries) 3 szt. (~3 g)
  • Salt 10 g
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty (~2 g)
  • Parsley 1 pęczek (~30 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Plum 80 g
  • Honey 30 ml
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~40.14 PLN (10.04 PLN/porcję)
* Brak cen dla niektórych składników

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Broth

1

Preparing the carcass: wash the duck under cold water, dry it with a paper towel. If you have fresh offal (hearts, livers), set them aside for possible addition to the soup later. Use a sharp knife to separate the meat from the bones: divide the carcass in half, separate the wings and legs, leaving the bones and skin for the broth. Cut larger pieces into smaller ones to fit more easily in the pot.

Ingredients: duck
Use a large, heavy pot (at least 5 l). If you don't know how to cut the carcass, ask the butcher to portion it; you can also use just the thighs and wings, but bones are needed for a rich broth.
2

In a pot, place the bones and pieces of duck shell/bones, and cover with 2 liters of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that forms with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to let the broth simmer gently.

Ingredients: duck, Water
Skimming off the foam is important for the clarity of the broth. Use a slotted spoon or a sieve. Cook on very low heat after boiling — too vigorous boiling will cloud the broth.
3

Add the peeled and halved vegetables to the pot: carrot, parsley root, celery, and half of the onion. Add the bay leaf and allspice. Simmer the broth on the lowest heat for 60–90 minutes, until the meat starts to come off the bone and the broth is aromatic.

Ingredients: Carrot, Parsley, Celery, Onion, Bay leaf
Cooking should be gentle — small bubbles, not a boiling storm. After 60 minutes, check the tenderness of the meat: if it easily comes off the bone, the broth is ready.
4

Remove the duck pieces and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into another pot, discarding the bones and vegetables. Separate the meat from the bones — remove the skin and optionally cut into pieces. Remove excess fat from the surface of the broth with a spoon or by chilling the broth in the refrigerator and skimming off the solidified fat.

Ingredients: duck
Use a large sieve with cheesecloth if you want a very clear broth. If you leave some fat, the soup will be heartier but less elegant.

Base flavor

5

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of butter, add the remaining half of the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until it becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Transfer the sautéed onion and garlic to the strained broth.

Ingredients: Butter, Onion, Garlic
Use a pan with a diameter of 24-28 cm. Fry until the onion is soft and slightly golden – do not burn it, as it will add bitterness.

Adding cherries and dried fruits

6

Add the cherries to the hot broth (if they are frozen, do not thaw them beforehand – add them straight from the package). If you are using dried plums (optional), soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, drain, and add to the soup. Cook together for 10–15 minutes to allow the fruits to release their flavor.

Ingredients: Cherry, Plum
Cherries add acidity and color; if you want a more fruity character, you can add some cherry compote juice instead of part of the water. Additionally, you can add plums to enhance the flavor/texture.

Preparation of blood

7

The most important step: prepare the blood for incorporation into the soup. In a bowl, mix the duck blood with half of the apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar — the acidity of the vinegar will prevent immediate coagulation. Whisk the blood with a spoon until it is uniform. Then, very slowly temper it: pour in 3-4 tablespoons of hot broth (one tablespoon at a time), vigorously stirring the blood to gradually raise the temperature without curdling the blood.

Ingredients: duck meat, Apple cider vinegar, Sugar, Water
Use a steel or ceramic bowl. Tempering is key — if you pour in the hot broth right away, the egg will curdle and lumps will form. This step requires attention and quick mixing.

Finishing the soup

8

After thickening the blood, pour it in a thin stream into a pot with hot (not boiling) broth, constantly stirring the soup with a whisk. Gently bring to a simmer over very low heat for 3–4 minutes, so the blood is cooked and binds with the broth. Taste and adjust the flavor: add the remaining vinegar by the tablespoon if you need more acidity, and sweeten with sugar or honey by half a tablespoon until you achieve a sweet-sour balance.

Ingredients: duck meat, Apple cider vinegar, Sugar, Honey
The soup should not boil vigorously after adding the blood — just a gentle bubbling. If you notice lumps, strain immediately through a fine sieve; however, proper tempering prevents this.

Preparing the dumplings

9

Prepare the dough for the dumplings: in a large bowl, pour in the wheat flour, make a well, crack in the egg, and pour in the milk. Stir with a spoon or whisk just until you achieve a thick, pourable consistency (it should flow slowly from the spoon). If the dough is too thick, add milk by the tablespoon; if it's too runny, add more flour.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Milk
Use a large bowl and a whisk or wooden spoon. The dough should have the consistency of thick cream – this way the dumplings will cook quickly and hold their shape.
10

In a pot, bring salted water (about 1.5–2 l) to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the water is gently simmering. Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and drop small portions of the dough into the boiling water (hence the name dropped dumplings). Cook the dumplings for 2–3 minutes after they float to the surface, then remove them with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Salt, Milk
The best is a spoon with a heat-resistant edge or two spoons for shaping. Don't drop too many dumplings at once – it will lower the water temperature and the dumplings will fall apart.

Assembly and seasoning

11

Add the chopped duck meat and cooked dumplings to the prepared soup. Add a tablespoon of butter and gently mix to prevent the dumplings from falling apart. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. If you are using dried plums, make sure they are soft; if you want a lighter flavor, add an extra tablespoon of vinegar or a bit of sugar.

Ingredients: duck, Butter, Black pepper, Salt, Plum
Taste the soup after each adjustment: gradually add vinegar and sugar until you achieve balance. Butter adds shine and rounds out the flavor — don't skip it.

Serving

12

Serve the hot czernina in deep plates: for each portion, add a few dumplings and pieces of meat, and pour over the dark broth with cherries. Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving. Additionally, you can add a teaspoon of honey on the plate, so everyone can season the soup to their liking.

Ingredients: Parsley, duck, Cherry, Honey
Use deep, wide plates (diameter 22–26 cm) to present the soup elegantly. Serve immediately — the dumplings taste best fresh.

Fun Fact

💡

Czernina (blood soup) was once a common element of ceremonies in some regions of Poland and was served as a special dish. In folk culture, it had symbolic significance — for example, in some traditions, the bride received czernina instead of broth as a playful jab from the groom.

Best for

rodzinny obiad zimowy świąteczne spotkanie specjalna kolacja regionalna

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve with crispy dark bread or a roll to scoop up the aromatic sauce. For guests, prepare small bowls with vinegar and honey so everyone can adjust the flavor to their liking. For a more elegant version, add a few halves of cherries preserved in syrup on the plate.

🥡 Storage

Store the czernina in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 days. Before reheating, gently warm it over low heat, stirring to prevent the blood from curdling. Do not freeze soup containing blood (it changes the structure of the blood) — instead, separate the broth before adding the blood and freeze the broth separately.

📸 Ugotowane przez społeczność

Zaloguj się, aby dodać zdjęcie
Dodaj zdjęcie gotowej potrawy

Po zatwierdzeniu przez moderatora otrzymasz 10 punktów doświadczenia.

🍲

Nikt jeszcze nie dodał zdjęcia. Bądź pierwszy!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Carpathian Cake with Custard Cream 90 min

Carpathian Cake with Custard Cream

Desserts
Young potatoes with dill and butter 30 min

Young potatoes with dill and butter

Main dishes
Buckwheat-Cottage Cheese Cheesecake with Roasted Beetroot Mousse and Caramelized Plums 150 min

Buckwheat-Cottage Cheese Cheesecake with R...

Desserts
Rhubarb and Sorrel Jelly with a Hint of Honey 90 min

Rhubarb and Sorrel Jelly with a Hint of Honey

Snacks for Kids
Dumplings with pasta and cottage cheese in sorrel sauce 60 min

Dumplings with pasta and cottage cheese in...

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Rice noodles with spring vegetables and tofu (vegan) 30 min

Rice noodles with spring vegetables and to...

Vegan dishes

Recipe Categories

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Regional Cuisine of Poland

Traditional recipes from various regions of Poland that showcase the richness of local flavors and ingredients.

See all recipes in this category
Main Dishes
Main Dishes in: Valentine's Day

Exquisite main dishes that will delight with their flavor and aroma, perfect for a romantic dinner.

See all recipes in this category
Reklama