Crispy Duck Salad With Green Beans And Honeyed Almonds Recipes

CRISPY DUCK SALAD WITH GREEN BEANS AND HONEYED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook honey and salt until thin and runny, then mix in almonds until coated. Add sugar and toss to coat. Spread nuts on baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) and bake, stirring once, until deeply golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let nuts cool, then break up clumps with your fingers.
• In a medium pot on medium-high heat, bring six cups salted water to boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Cook green beans until bright green and tender, 2 to 4 minutes depending on thickness of beans. Drain, then plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.
• Raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, score duck fat into a crosshatch pattern, with cuts a half-inch apart. You want to cut through fat but not into flesh of duck.
• In a small bowl, mix salt, chili, pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Rub mix all over duck, working it into the fat.
• Set an ovenproof pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil, heat for a few seconds, then add duck, fat side down. Sear without moving until dark brown, about 10 minutes (if it starts to burn, lower the heat). Flip duck and cook for 1 minute, then transfer pan to oven and roast until meat is done to taste, 4 to 8 minutes longer for medium rare (130 degrees). Let duck rest on a cutting board. Reserve 2 tablespoons of fat from pan.
• Using mortar and pestle or side of a heavy knife, make a paste from garlic and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, mix it with lime juice and a half-teaspoon salt, then drizzle in remaining olive oil, whisking well.
• In a large bowl, toss green beans and watercress with reserved pan drippings and just enough of dressing to coat. Taste and add salt if desired.
• Slice duck breasts and toss with salad. Garnish with almonds and serve.

CURED DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse, pat dry and trim the duck legs (use the excess fat to render). Rub salt and herbs into duck legs allow to cure for 2 days covered in refrigerator. Melt duck fat and bring to 200 degrees. Rinse salt off of duck, pat dry and immerse in pan of duck fat, cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Duck can be held refrigerated for several days. Before service remove duck from fat, discard skin (or use to make cracklings) and take meat from bone. Reserve duck fat.
• In a small saucepan add halved shallots, honey and just enough water to cover; bring to a boil and simmer until tender and glazed, remove and reserve.
• In a medium saute pan heat 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat, add potatoes, duck, walnuts, reserved shallots and toss until hot. Add chopped shallots, green beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and taste for seasonings.
• Arrange in the center of plate, garnish with watercress tossed in olive oil and crouton brushed with farmers cheese.
• In a non reactive saucepan, combine milk and slowly bring to 180 degrees. Strain through cheesecloth and allow to cool. When cool, place in a bowl, season, add herbs and lemon zest, to taste.

HONEY & SOY DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Score the skin of the duck breasts and season. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add the duck, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins or until the skin is crisp. Turn over and quickly brown the underside, then transfer to a baking tray.
• Mix the dressing ingredients together and spoon all but 2 tbsp of it over the duck. Roast the duck for 10 mins for pink, longer if you prefer. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 4 mins, then slice into strips. 3 Toss together the salad, tomatoes, spring onions and duck slices. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.