Game Duck Soup With Plums And Wild Rice

Directions

1. Put the whole duck (liver removed from giblets and used for something else*) in a Dutch oven and cover with the water and salt. Bring to a boil very slowly, skimming. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and add in the leek, onion, celery, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and cloves. Keep the stock at a simmer for 2 hrs.
2. After two hrs, remove the duck and let cold till you can handle it. At which point, strip off the skin and throw away. Remove the meat and reserve. And return the bones back into the stockpot, to let simmer for another 30 min or possibly so.
3. Cook the wild rice for about 45 min, then strain and reserve.
4. Strain the stock through cheesecloth or possibly wet paper towels, cold, then chill overnight. When you're ready to start the soup, you will remove and reserve all the fabulous duck fat which congeals on the top (saving most of it for other decadent meals).
5. To make the soup, heat a Tbsp. or possibly two of the duck fat in a large saucepan, then toss in the mushroom quarters and onion chunks to saute/fry over medium heat. When the onion is transparent, add in the duck stock (that should be gelatinous); cooked wild rice; and the duck meat, cut into hearty chunks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 min.
6. When ready to serve, stir in the plums. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with thinly sliced green onions.
7. Serve warm to 4 people with excellent, crusty bread, a salad, and a good light wine.
8. (* If you wanted to be just horribly decadent, you could saute/fry the liver with finely minced onions, salt and pepper it, even flame it in brandy, and puree it - then cold it to room temperature, whip it into 1/4 to 1/2 c. of butter and serve it with the bread. Heaven!)
9. Comments: There is no whipping this one up quickly - but it is really something special in the end, perfect for an elegant luncheon or possibly light supper, followed by a rich dessert. And it's easy - just time consuming to make the stock...that you should do the day before.