Warm Lentil Salad With Honey Glazed Duck Breast Lardons And Frisee Recipes

WARM DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• 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.

FRISEE AUX LARDONS

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned and slightly crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepot over high heat. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Working one at a time, crack each egg into a small dish and slowly lower it into the water, sliding the egg out. Reduce the heat to maintain a light simmer and poach the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Chop the frisee into 2-inch pieces, place in a large bowl and toss with the cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese and vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined. Divide the salad among 4 plates and gently place a poached egg in the center of each "nest" of salad. Divide the baguette slices among the plates and serve immediately.
• Put the garlic cloves in a small saucepan and add enough olive oil just to cover. Cook over low heat until the garlic is soft and melting, 35 to 45 minutes, to make garlic confit.
• Combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper with 2 tablespoons garlic confit and 2 tablespoons water in a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. (Reserve the remaining garlic confit for another use.) With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until it has been incorporated.
• Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The vinaigrette will keep for up to 1 week.

LAVENDER HONEY-GLAZED ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Put olives and lavender inside duck and truss or close with a skewer. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add duck and saute on all sides until skin is golden brown. Transfer to a rack in a roasting pan. Mix 2 tablespoons of the honey with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brush over duck and roast until juices run clear when duck is pricked deep in thigh about 45 minutes. About halfway through the roasting time, combine 1 tablespoon of pan drippings with the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey, and brush over duck. When duck is cooked, remove it from oven and let rest to 15 minutes in a warm place before carving and serving.;

FRIED EGGS OVER WARM LENTIL SALAD WITH LARDONS

Steps:

• Cover lentils with cold water by 2 inches in a saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 20 minutes.
• While lentils are simmering, cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, leaving fat in skillet. Add leeks, celery, and carrot to skillet and cook, stirring, until just tender. Add vinegar and boil until most of liquid is evaporated. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tarragon, half of bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered, reserving skillet.
• Drain lentils well in a large sieve. Stir into vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered.
• Wipe skillet with paper towels, then add oil and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Fry eggs in batches until whites are just set but yolks are still runny and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide lentil salad among 4 plates. Top with spinach, eggs, and remaining bacon.