Roast Duck with Red Cabbage and Dumplings

For the duck: Preheat the oven to 200°C (approximately 390°F). 

Peel and coarsely chop carrot, celery and onion. 

Rinse duck inside and out and pat dry. Pluck mugwort stalks. Season duck, inside and out, with mugwort, salt and pepper. Prick skin of duck with a toothpick and place, breast side down. with vegetables in a roasting pan. Add a little water and bake for about 45 minutes. Then turn and cook for another 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Remove from oven and take duck from roasting pan and place on a grate with a drip pan. Broil for another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven. Skim fat from pan sauce and pass sauce through a sieve. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

For the cabbage: Remove outer leaves of cabbage. Cut cabbage in half, remove stalk and slice. Rinse apples, peel, quarter, core and dice. Heat butter in a saucepan and sauté apple. Add cabbage. Peel and mince onion. Add onion and cloves to pan. Pour in wine and 250 ml (approximately 1 cup) of water. Add sugar and vinegar, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes.

For the dumplings: Heat butter in a pan. Cut bread into small cubes and fry until crisp. 

Peel and rinse small potatoes. Grate finely, place on cheesecloth and squeeze out liquid. Peel and boil large potatoes. Drain and press through a ricer. Combine grated potatoes and boiled potatoes and season with salt. With moistened hands, shape dumplings and press a crouton in the center of each.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dumplings in boiling water and simmer for 20-30 minutes over low heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and drizzle with butter.