“You will learn a nifty technique in this fragrant duck and shiitake soup. It infuse chicken stock with simple, pungent ingredients. This results in a fragrant, Asian-style broth. The broth is then finished with coconut milk and beautifully cooked sliced duck. However, it’s the flavour of the fried shiitake mushrooms which really steal the show, so please do not use any other mushrooms here. – Monya
Fats of Life® is a keto and low carb recipe blog that I love to run as a hobby in my spare time. I am also the author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen Series of cookbooks. This includes my debut best-seller Keto Kitchen (2020). The fun and exciting Lazy Keto Kitchen (2021). And, the clever and inspiring Budget Keto Kitchen (2022). My 4th cookbook, Quick Keto Kitchen (2023) is as fantastic as the first three, and packed with spectacular, easy creations!
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More on Fragrant Duck and Shiitake Soup…
Duck breasts are a delectable and nutritious choice for individuals following a ketogenic (keto) diet. This low-carb, high-fat diet is renowned for its numerous health benefits, and duck breasts fit seamlessly into this dietary regimen.
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Firstly, duck breasts are a fantastic source of high-quality protein, which is essential for maintaining and repairing body tissues. They provide all the essential amino acids, making them an excellent option for those looking to build and preserve lean muscle mass while on keto.
Furthermore, duck is a rich source of healthy fats, particularly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats help the body enter and maintain a state of ketosis. This is key to the success of the keto diet. Moreover, duck contains antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E, which combat oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Duck breasts also deliver an array of essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins (B6, B12, and niacin), iron, phosphorus, and selenium. These nutrients support overall well-being by promoting healthy blood cells, nerve function, and a strong immune system.
It is important to note that to maintain ketosis, it’s essential to track carbohydrate intake and ensure it aligns with your daily macro goals. Consulting with a healthcare professional is advised before making significant dietary changes. Scroll to the bottom to see the full macros and allergens for this Fragrant Duck and Shiitake Soup, as well as all the Soups, Stocks & Broths on Fats of Life®.
Fragrant Duck and Shiitake Soup
Per serving
Ingredients
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 25 g (0.9 oz) fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed with the back of a knife
- 1 star anise
- 4 large duck breasts
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 240 g (8.5 oz) shiitake mushrooms
- 250 g (8.8 oz) coconut cream
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- handful fresh coriander leaves
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to180°C (fan-assisted). This is 200°C for conventional ovens (or 400°F / gas mark 6). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Get the broth on first so you have maximum infusing time. Place the chicken stock, sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and star anise into a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat, leaving to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to allow the flavours to infuse. We will come back to it later.
- Score the duck skin slightly with a sharp knife. Heat a large, non-stick pan on medium heat (no need to add oil). Place the breasts skin-side down and leave on this medium heat for15 minutes. You will notice how the duck renders out plenty of its own fat. After15 minutes, increase the heat to high and cook until the skins are golden and crispy, approx. 1-2 more minutes. Flip the duck breasts over to cook the underside for 1 minute, then place them skin side-up on the baking tray. Do not discard all the rendered duck fat remaining in the pan.
- Scatter the chilli and ginger powders over the duck breasts and season all over with salt and pepper. Rub the spices into the skins and place the tray into the oven for 6-7minutes. After this time, remove the duck from the oven and leave to rest for10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the pan containing all the duck fat back on high heat. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook, stir-fry style, until golden and caramelised. Set aside to keep warm.
- Return to the pan of infusing stock. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the ginger, garlic, and star anise. Add the coconut cream and fish sauce and allow to warm through over a medium heat. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, or a little more fish sauce if you like.
- Slice the duck after it has rested, then ladle the coconut soup between warm bowls and add the fried shiitake mushrooms. Top with the sliced duck, coriander and sliced red chilli. Drizzle over any juices from duck’s roasting tray, if desired, and serve with lime wedges for a zingy finish.
USEFUL TIPS:
- I like my duck pink on the inside with crispy skin. Allowing them to cook as I have shown here achieves this perfect result. However, it is very important to allow the duck to rest for at least 10 minutes after coming out of the oven.
- If you aren’t up for the challenge of cooking duck, try this with seasoned, sliced chicken or steak. Then, fry the shiitake mushrooms in a little oil as only duck breasts will render such a glorious amount of natural fat.
My name is Monya Kilian Palmer. If you loved this recipe, please follow and tag me @mkilianpalmer on Instagram so we can all see your lovely creations!
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The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
Nutritional Information per servingCalories 550Kcal / kJ
Fat 34g
Carbohydrates 7.5g
Protein 54g
Allergens
Fish
May contain nuts
See all the Soups, Stocks & Broths on Fats of Life:
Disclaimer: The nutritional analysis, macro and allergen breakdown of the recipes on this site have been manually and carefully calculated using the cloud-based software NUTRITICS®. NUTRITICS® is fully approved by the relevant Trading Standards organizations and is EU and FDA-compliant. The macro calculations are provided as a courtesy to you based on the author's weighing of ingredients when creating the dishes. If Erythritol (a sugar polyol) has been used in any of the recipes, it has already been manually excluded from the final carbohydrate count. The author is a chef - not a medical professional - and this website has been designed to provide you with recipe ideas to suit the low carb lifestyle you have discussed with your GP.