Ina Fridays: Warm Duck Salad

Welcome once again to our Ina First Friday posts! This month it's SSS....soup, salad or side. I chose salad because I had made this duck salad for guests a while back and never posted it. Where did I get the duck breasts? From D'Artagnan, of course. After seeing Ina make this on her show, I ordered ahead for the luncheon and while I usually have a recipe rehearsal before I serve a new dish, there was no need with this salad....it was perfect. Don't overcook the duck....it should be medium rare. I'm originally from Michigan and my father and grandfather were both duck hunters, so we had wild duck often when I was young. One thing I learned early: never overcook it.

If you are not a fan of duck you could use slices of chicken or turkey, but frankly, the salad would lose it's originality wouldn't it? My guests loved it. Have fun with it is what I say.

Warm Duck Salad
2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients:

2 boneless duck breasts, skin on (about 12 to 14 ounces each)

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 1/2 tablespoons good sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup good olive oil

3 heads Belgian endive

3 ounces mache or other delicate baby lettuce

fresh orange sections, to taste

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1 cup toasted whole pecan halves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Place the duck breasts on a sheet pan, skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and roast for about 20 minutes, until medium-rare. Remove from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard the fat and skin on top (unless you're making cracklings), slice the duck, and then cut the slices crosswise into julienned pieces.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the shallots, sherry vinegar, orange zest, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Whisk in the olive oil and set aside.

For the salad, trim the bottom half-inch from the endive and cut them diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Separate the leaves and discard the cores. Place the slices in a large salad bowl. Add the mache leaves, oranges, raspberries, and toasted pecans. Toss with enough dressing to moisten. Gently toss in the warm duck meat and serve immediately. 

Ina Fridays participants:

Alyce from moretimeatthetable.blogspot.com 

Mireya from myhealthyeatinghabits.com

Nancy from mypicadillo.com  

Veronica from mycatholickitchen.com

Linda from There and Back Again 

Chaya from bizzybakes.blogspot.com

Ansh from spiceroots.com  

Martha from simple-nourished-living.com
Minnie from TheLady8home.com

Bhavna from justagirlfromaamchimumbai.com/ 

B. from The Rocky MountainWoman 
Ria from Ria's Collection
Linda from Tumbleweed Contessa

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