Czernina

Czernina (Polish Duck Blood Soup with Vinegar)

A traditional Polish soup made from duck or goose blood, poultry bones, and vegetables, finished with a tangy vinegar-prune mixture. It is often served with egg noodles or potatoes and is considered a warming, restorative dish, especially in the Masuria and Pomerania regions.

Prep

30 min

Cook

150 min

Total

180 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3 lb) duck or goose carcasses with meat (wings, necks, backs), a mix of bony pieces and some meat is ideal
• •2 l (8½ cups) cold water
• •1 piece (1 medium) onion, halved, skin on for color
• •2 pieces (2 medium) carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• •1 stalk celery root, or 2 celery ribs, peeled and quartered
• •2 pieces bay leaves
• •6 pieces allspice berries
• •10 pieces black peppercorns
• •1.5 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •200 ml (¾ cup) fresh duck or goose blood, keep refrigerated until use; stir well because it settles
• •120 ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, 5–6% acidity, plus more to taste
• •150 g (5 oz) dried pitted prunes, rinsed
• •30 g (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• •120 g (4 oz) dried egg noodles, traditional accompaniment; serve on the side or in the bowl
• •1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram, or 1 tsp dried; do not skip
• •1 tsp sugar, balances the sourness

Steps

1. 1 Place the duck or goose pieces in a large pot, cover with 2 L (8½ cups) cold water, and bring slowly to a simmer. Skim any gray foam that rises for the first 10 minutes; this keeps the broth clear.
2. 2 Add the onion, carrots, celery root, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt. Cover partially and simmer gently for 90 minutes. The poultry is safely cooked when the thickest pieces reach an internal temperature of 85°C (185°F) and the meat pulls easily from the bone.
3. 3 Lift the poultry pieces out, strain the broth into a clean pot through a fine sieve, and discard the spent vegetables and spices. Strip the meat from the bones in bite-size pieces and reserve. Skim excess fat from the surface of the broth if you prefer a lighter soup.
4. 4 While the broth simmers, put the prunes in a small saucepan, cover with water, and simmer 15 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving 60 ml (¼ cup) of the cooking liquid. Halve the prunes.
5. 5 In a bowl, whisk the fresh blood with 60 ml (¼ cup) of the warm broth to temper it (this prevents it from scrambling on contact with hot liquid).
6. 6 In a small bowl, blend the flour with the vinegar and the reserved prune liquid until smooth; this is the classic 'zakwas' that thickens and sours the soup.
7. 7 Bring the strained broth back to a gentle simmer. Slowly whisk in the blood mixture, stirring constantly. Then slowly drizzle in the vinegar-flour slurry, still whisking, and simmer 5 minutes so the flour cooks out. The soup should coat the back of a spoon lightly.
8. 8 Stir in the halved prunes, the shredded duck or goose meat, the marjoram, the sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer 2 more minutes. Taste and add more vinegar, 1 tsp at a time, until the soup is distinctly sweet-sour — this sharp, tangy finish is the soul of czernina.
9. 9 Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in salted water until just tender (al dente, about 6 minutes), drain, and toss with a little butter or a spoonful of the soup broth to prevent clumping.
10. 10 Ladle the czernina over a nest of noodles in warm bowls. Traditionally the noodles are served in a separate small dish on the side so they do not soften in the acidic broth; do what you prefer.
11. 11 Do not reboil the finished soup once plated; if it cools, rewarm gently and never let it boil again, or the blood will curdle and the broth will lose its silky texture.