Roast Duck with Apples and Dumplings

Preheat the oven to 180°C (approximately 350°F).

For the duck: Rinse the duck and pat dry with paper towels. Seperate the wingtips and chop coarsely. Season the duck inside and outside with salt and pepper.

Peel the onions and chop. Peel and core the apple and dice. Place the onion and apple pieces in a bowl and toss with the herbs. Place the onion and apple stuffing inside the duck cavity, closing the cavity with wooden skewers or toothpicks. Lay the duck, breast side down, in a roasting pan. Pour 500 ml (approximately 2 cups) water into the bottom of the pan and bake until golden brown, about 2 hours total. (After 1 hour of cooking, turn the duck over.)  Baste the duck with the pan drippings often.

For the dumplings: Cut the white bread into small cubes and fry until golden brown in a frying pan.

Stir together the yeast and half the milk until smooth. Place the flour, egg, egg yolk and the remaining milk in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast and milk mixture and stir into a smooth dough. Fold the toasted bread cubes into the dough. Let the mixture rest in a warm place, covered, for 45 minutes.

In a saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Shape the dumpling mixture into about 4 logs of approximately 4 cm (approximately 1 1/2 inch) diameter and individually wrap each log in aluminum foil. Place the rolls into the boiling water, lower the temperature and simmer 35 to 40 minutes.

To finish the dish: Remove the duck from the roasting pan and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the stuffing and cut each duck half in half crosswise. Place the duck (skin side up) in a ovenproof container, cover loosely with foil and keep warm in the oven at 70°C (approximately 150°F).

Thoroughly degrease the gravy. Cook the duck wings in a pot in 1/2 tablespoon butter until well browned. Add the gravy, the apple stuffing and the chicken stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a second pot, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Rinse the small apples and cut crosswise into 1 cm (approximately 1/3 inch) thick slices. Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan and fry the apple slices briefly on both sides; keep warm.

Just before serving, heat the oven to broil. Broil the duck with the skin side up until crispy. Cut the dumplings into thick slices.