Ramen in tonkotsu broth with crispy fried duck

Ingredients:

Noodles and vegetables

• 100 g fresh ramen noodles
• 30 ml mixed vegetable oil
• 100g of diced duck confit, see recipe below
• 30 ml. sesame oil
• 60 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 60 g takana (pickled mustard leaves), chopped
• 0.5 l. tonkotsu broth, see recipe below
• Half a soft-boiled egg
• 30 g chopped bok choy
• 30 g chopped green onions
• 15 g sesame seeds

Duck confit

• 2 duck hind quarters
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 28 g black peppercorns
• 30 g fresh thyme sprigs
• 0.6 l mixed vegetable oil
• 300 g rendered duck fat

Tonkotsu broth

• 2 pig hooves
• 450 g chicken bones
• 8 green onions, white part only
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 60 g of mushroom stems
• 30 g fresh ginger root, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 60 g of ground pork fat

Preparation:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over high heat and add the duck confit. Cook, without stirring, until crispy on one side, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side the same way, about 6 minutes total. Remove from heat.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the shiitake mushrooms and takana. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes. Add the tonkotsu broth and bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the ramen. Cook for 60 seconds, then drain and add the noodles to the simmering broth. Cook the broth and ramen for another minute, stirring. (I like to stir with chopsticks; it's much easier and more authentic.) Transfer the ramen and broth to a bowl and top with crispy duck and a soft-boiled egg. Garnish with bok choy, green onions, and sesame seeds.

4. Duck confit

   
   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Sprinkle the duck pieces with salt and place them in a 10cm deep roasting pan. Add the garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme. Add vegetable oil and duck fat to the roasting pan, making sure the duck pieces are submerged in the oil.
5. Cover and roast until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove the duck from the oven; let it cool for 15 minutes before draining the fat. Carefully sort the duck, discarding the skin, bones, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaf. Set aside until ready to use, or refrigerate if using later.

6. Tonkotsu broth

   
   Fill the pot two-thirds full with water; add the pork hooves and chicken bones. Cook until the red blood stops coming out, about 20 minutes. Drain and clean the pot. Rinse the bones thoroughly, removing any dried blood.
7. Return the rinsed bones to the pan and add enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion, garlic, mushroom stems, ginger, and salt. Cover and simmer until the broth is fragrant, 3-4 hours, checking the liquid level periodically and adding more water as needed to keep the bones submerged.
8. About 30 minutes before the broth is ready, add the ground lard and continue simmering. Strain the broth into a large saucepan and skim off any excess fat.