Vegan Duck Legs with Dumplings and Red Cabbage
You're probably already looking for the perfect Christmas dinner, right?
It's tricky to ensure everyone in the family is happy. For me, though, it's been Cannelloni with a spinach-ricotta filling on the 24th for as long as I can remember.
The menu has already been decided, so I have little to say about it.
But what we'll have on the 25th has been set for a while: This wonderfully crispy and flavorful vegan Christmas "duck legs" with red cabbage and dumplings. And it's not just my plan—I've already heard several people at the office say, "Oh, I'm definitely making this for Christmas this year!"
This recipe is perfect for anyone who wants to impress. It looks much more complicated and elaborate than it is. The vegan "duck" legs consist of just three simple components:
The "Meat": The filling is made from jackfruit and seitan. Seitan has long been a staple in vegan cooking, but I think only a few people have dared to try jackfruit. However, it's a key ingredient in this recipe. It gives the "meat" a tender, fibrous texture—just like it's been slow-cooked for hours. Both ingredients soak up the marinade, made primarily from Asian mushroom sauce (available at Asian markets), mustard, soy sauce, and herbs.
The "Skin": The filling is wrapped in two layers of rice paper. The inner layer has a consistency similar to fat. When baked, the outer layer, brushed with an oil marinade, becomes crispy and golden brown. And don't worry—wrapping it up will be a breeze after some practice.
The "Bone": The possibilities here are endless. We used cinnamon sticks, which added a nice flavor to the "duck" legs. If you're not fond of that flavor, carve "bones" from a cauliflower stalk or use skewers. There are even fake bones available for purchase nowadays—we think that's a little creepy. Just make sure whatever you choose doesn't burn in the oven.
As side dishes, we had dumplings and red cabbage. We bought both pre-made and whipped up a quick gravy to go with them. You can make everything from scratch if you have the time and energy. You'll find all the recipes here on our blog:
Red Cabbage, Potato Dumplings and, of course the best gravy on this planet.
Vegan Duck Legs with Dumplings and Red Cabbage
Ingredients
For the "duck":
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) soy sauce
- 160 g (5.66 oz) seitan in one piece
- 160 g (5.66 oz) pulled jackfruit
- 4 cinnamon sticks
For the marinade:
- 4 tbsp (2 oz) Asian mushroom seasoning sauce
- 1.5 tbsp (0.75 oz) soy sauce
- 4 tbsp (2 oz) water (divided)
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) olive oil
- 1.5 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp (0.33 oz) cornstarch
For the "skin":
- 8 large rice paper sheets
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) soy sauce
- 1 tsp Asian mushroom seasoning sauce
For the gravy:
- 1 onion
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) vegan butter
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) tomato paste
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) mustard
- 2 tbsp (0.25 cup) wheat flour (type 405)
- 350 ml (1.5 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- pepper to taste
For serving:
- 500 g (17.5 oz) ready-made dumpling dough
- 400 g (14 oz) ready-made red cabbage
- parsley
Instructions
Bring vegetable stock and soy sauce to a boil in a large pot. Cut the seitan into thin strips and simmer in the broth for approx. 10 minutes. Drain the pulled jackfruit and add it to the seitan after 5 minutes.
While the seitan and jackfruit are simmering, combine Asian mushroom seasoning sauce, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the water, olive oil, and mustard in a bowl for the marinade. Then add marjoram, thyme, garlic and onion powder, and stir well.
Drain the seitan and jackfruit and return them to the pot. Add the prepared marinade and heat the mixture again. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining water, add it to the mixture, and stir vigorously so the mass holds together better.
Place two large, flat plates side by side and fill one with some water. Moisten a rice paper sheet in the water for approx. 15 seconds and then place it on the empty plate. Make an approx. 5 centimeter (2 inch) long cut in the center bottom with scissors. Place a cinnamon stick in this cut and put 2 tablespoons of the prepared filling in the center of the rice paper. Fold the rice paper from bottom, top, left, and right toward the center. Moisten a second rice paper, lift the drumstick, and place the rice paper on the empty plate, again making a 5 centimeter (2 inch) long cut. Turn the drumstick over and position it so it can be wrapped with the second rice paper. Place the finished drumstick on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Repeat step 4 until the filling is used up – the ingredients are enough for four drumsticks.
Preheat the oven to 190 °C/375 °F (fan). For brushing the "skin," combine olive oil, soy sauce, and mushroom seasoning sauce. Then brush all drumsticks evenly on both sides with a brush and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes. Turn the drumsticks halfway through. They're done when they're golden brown and crispy on the outside.
During the baking time, prepare the dumplings and red cabbage according to package instructions.
For the gravy, peel and finely dice the onion. Melt vegan butter in a small pot and sauté the onion cubes until translucent. Add tomato paste and mustard and roast over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until the tomato paste browns. Dust with flour and immediately pour in vegetable stock. Stir constantly with a whisk so no lumps form. Season the sauce with soy sauce, agave syrup, and pepper to taste.
Serve the drumsticks, dumplings, and red cabbage on a plate and pour gravy over them. Finally, garnish with some parsley.
