Low-Carb Duck Ramen

Ingredients makes 4 servings

• Soup:
• 2 duck breasts, skin-on (340 g/ 12 oz)
• 4 medium spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger (12 g/ 0.4 oz)
• 1 small chilli pepper, sliced, seeds removed (14 g/ 0.5 oz)
• large bunch Swiss chard or bok choy (300 g/ 10.6 oz)
• 2 cups sliced Asian mushrooms such as shiitake, enoki or oyster (142 g/ 5 oz)
• 6 cups chicken stock, chicken broth or beef bone broth (1.4 L) - you can make your own
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (30 ml)
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos (30 ml)
• 1 lb drained kelp noodles (450 g), rinsed according to the package directions
• 4 duck eggs or jumbo chicken eggs
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional: 2 tsp dried seaweed flakes such as wakame flakes, kombu, dulse or shony
• Toppings:
• 4 tsp Sriracha sauce (20 g/0.7 oz) - you can make your own, 1 tsp per serving
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 ml) - ¹/₂ tbsp per serving
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil (10 ml) - ¹/₂ tsp per serving
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (6 g/ 0.2 oz) - ¹/₂ tsp per serving

Instructions

1. Prepare the duck breasts. Preheat the oven to 220 °C/ 430 °F (fan assisted), or 240 °C/ 465 °F (conventional). Pat the skin with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Score the skin and season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium pan over a medium-high heat. Place the duck breasts skin side down into the hot dry pan (no oil needed) and turn the heat down.

2. As the fat is released, pour it over the breasts regularly and cook for 6-8 minutes or until lightly golden. Turn on the other side and cook for about 30 seconds just to seal the breasts.

3. Place the breasts skin side up on a rack in a roasting tin and transfer into the oven. Cook for 10 minutes for rare, 15 minutes for medium or 18 minutes for well done. Reserve the duck fat for cooking the aromatics.

4. When the duck is cooked, rest the meat in a warm place for about 10 minutes (do not cover or you will lose the crispness). Keep warm. When ready to serve, slice.

5. Meanwhile, pour the leftover duck fat into a large pot (or use a tablespoon of duck fat or ghee to grease it). Place the white parts of the onions, plus the ginger and chilli pepper, into the pot. Cook over a medium-high heat until fragrant.

6. Chop the chard stalks and leaves. Add the stalks to the pot and cook for 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the chopped leaves, fish sauce, coconut aminos and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Once it starts simmering, reduce the heat to medium.

8. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes (Although I added whole enoki mushrooms, it's better to slice them first. Otherwise, they may not cook through).

9. Add the kelp noodles and turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, add seaweed flakes.

10. Place the eggs in a pot and fill with water, covering them by an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Remove from the burner and keep the eggs covered in the pot for 7-8 minutes. This will leave the yolk partially runny. When done, transfer to a bowl filled with ice water and let the eggs sit for 5 minutes. To peel, remove from the ice water and knock each egg several times against the countertop or work surface to crack the shells. Gently peel off the shells.

11. To assemble, pour the soup into bowls (about 2 cups per serving). Top with sliced duck breasts (half of the breast per serving), green parts of the spring onions, halved duck eggs (1 egg per serving), Sriracha, olive oil, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

12. Enjoy hot. The contents of the pot can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the duck breasts, egg and toppings separately and add before serving.