Faith Wipperman was just newly appointed to Saute and Entrementier at Lon's at the Hermosa, considered one of the best restaurants in Paradise Valley, Arizona. We have known of Faith for a bit now but just recently interviewed her for a magazine article. We found her to be one of the most inspiring young (18) personalities we have encountered. Faith prepared this Duck Soup with Warm Beet Salad for our time together. It was to die for. Enjoy this recipe and look for more of Faith Wipperman in the future.

P.S. Faith is one of the C-CAP students competing with Chef Glenn Humphrey in our WestSide ThrowDown on March 22 in Peoria, Arizona.

Duck Soup Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
• Butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 sprigs thyme
• ¼ C orange juice, reduced
• ½- ¾ C roasted potato flesh
• 4 C duck stock
• Salt
• White pepper
• ¼ C dry sherry

Over low heat, cook the onion in the butter until deeply caramelized and fragrant; this can take an hour or more. Once desired color is achieved, deglaze with the sherry vinegar and reserve.

In a pan melt 4 Tbsp butter and add sugar, cook to combine, then add the apple quarters in a single layer. Cook slowly to caramelize, flipping half way through. When finished, the apples should be caramelized and tender. Reserve.

Infuse the duck stock with the thyme; heat until the stock is completely fluid. 

In a blender combine the caramelized onion, ¾ of the caramelized apples, duck stock, orange juice, and 1/3 C roasted potato flesh. Blend and evaluate consistency: if the soup is still very thin add the remaining apples and enough roasted potato to thicken, if the soup is too thick to blend add more duck or chicken stock. These adjustments will vary depending on how gelatinous your duck stock is.

Once well-blended, strain the soup through a chinois. Heat the soup, seasoning to taste, and finish with the dry sherry. Hold hot.

Warm Beet Salad Ingredients

• 1 medium golden beet
• 1 medium red beet
• 1 medium candy stripe beet
• 2 spring thyme
• Kosher salt
• Butter
• ¼ C walnut pieces, toasted
• ½ C duck confit, finely shredded and chopped
• Fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• Salt
• Black pepper

Trim both end of each beet. To cook the beets place in a pot, cover with cold water, add 4 Tbsp kosher salt, and a sprig of thyme (for best color, cook the yellow beet separately from the other two). Over low heat simmer gently until the beets are tender. Remove from the water and, using a kitchen towel, gently rub away the skin; it should come off easily. Small dice each beet and combine.

Heat a medium sauté pan and melt some butter. Add the diced beets, walnuts, confit, and thyme leaves; toss to combine and heat evenly. Deglaze with orange juice and reduce. Season with salt and pepper. Hold warm.

For Presentation

In a large, wide soup bowl place a 1 ½” ring mold in the center and fill with the beet salad, packing gently. Remove the ring mold and repeat in the remaining bowls. Carefully ladle portions of the hot duck soup around the beet salad and serve immediately.

About Faith Wipperman

Originally from Central Texas, Faith is a graduate of the Arizona Culinary Institute and scholarship winner for Career through Culinary Art Program. She is currently Saute and Entrementier at Lon's at the Hermosa.