Spiced Molasses Duck Breast Salad 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.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Season the duck breasts generously with salt. Place both duck breasts in a saute pan large enough to accommodate without crowding. Bring the pan to a medium-low heat to render the fat from the duck. Periodically remove the fat as a lot of it begins accumulate in the saute pan. This is a low and slow process, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Once the fat has rendered and the duck skin is crispy and brown, once again remove the excess fat from the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high and flip the duck to sear the bottom. Once the bottom is brown turn the duck so skin side is down. Add the pomegranate molasses and thyme to the pan. Cook until the molasses starts to get thick and syrupy. Turn the duck over for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the duck from the pan and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the thyme bundle and add the pomegranate seeds. If the mixture is very thick add a few drops of water to loosen things up.
• Once the duck has rested, slice it on the bias and serve drizzled with the reduced molasses and seeds.
• Just Ducky!!

BOLO'S DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Make the duck/marinade: 8 hours to 1 day before serving, prick the entire skin of the duck all over with a fork. In a large pot over high heat, bring 6 quarts of water to a rapid boil and blanch the duck for 7 to 8 minutes in hot water. Remove the duck from the water and place on a plate in the refrigerator. Allow the duck to sit 3 to 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and wipe the rendered fat from the skin of the duck. In a medium saucepan, combine the marinade ingredients and cook over low to medium heat until thickened. (Do not boil. This will give the marinade a burnt taste due to the amount of brown sugar). Allow the marinade to cool then brush the duck generously with the mixture. (Reserve some of the marinade to baste the duck with while roasting.) Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the duck in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, basting with the reserved marinade every 5 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. Remove the breasts from the bone and the thighs with the legs attached. Place the thigh/legs into a medium saucepan pan with 1-inch of water in it. Cover the pan and place in the 350 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the meat falls off the bone. Remove from the oven and set aside. When cool enough to handle pick the meat from the bone and tear into bite sized-pieces. Just before serving, place the breasts in a oven-proof skillet skin-side-down and heat 6 to 8 minutes (depending on your preference of doneness, i.e. rare, medium rare). Slice the breasts very thinly on the bias (each breast should yield 3 servings). Keep the meat warm until service.
• Make the vinaigrette: In a saucepan over high heat, reduce the orange juice until it forms a syrup. Let cool. In a blender, combine the orange syrup, vinegar, honey and chili powder (if using). Blend for 30 seconds. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a plastic squeeze bottle. (May be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.) Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Make the sauteed pears: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, sugar and cinnamon and cook to a light syrup. Add the sliced pears and cook until they are soft but still retain their shape. Set aside.
• Make the peanut brittle Make a caramel with the sugar, add the peanuts and pour onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Let harden and coarsely chop.
• Assemble the salad: In a large bowl dress mesclun greens lightly with some of the orange vinaigrette and arrange on the top halves of 6 plates. Arrange the breast in a fan shape beneath the greens and place the thigh meat on both sides of the greens. Scatter the pears over the duck and dress lightly with the remaining vinaigrette. Top with peanut brittle and chopped chives.

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.

ORIENTAL DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Score the top of the duck breast before marinating.
• Marinade: Combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 5-spice, brown sugar, chili flakes, basil, cilantro, and salt. Add the duck to the marinade and coat well.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the duck breasts and saute until golden brown on both sides and cooked to your desired temperature, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
• Remove the duck from the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with coffee. Add the reserved marinade and reduce to desired consistency.
• In a mixing bowl, combine dashi with sugar and rice wine vinegar. Transfer mixture to a blender and add garlic, fresh ginger, pickled ginger and pinch of salt. Slowly add salad oil to the blender. Refrigerate until needed.
• Have fryer heated to 360 degrees F.
• Deep-fry the menlo until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from the oil to a paper towel lined plate. On a platter, place deep-fried menlo topped with spring mix. Slice duck breast and place on top of greens. Serve with chilled pickled ginger vinaigrette. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

COFFEE AND MOLASSES CURED DUCK BREAST BACON

Steps:

• Cure duck:
• Stir together water, coffee, kosher salt, brown sugar, and Insta Cure in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add molasses and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not melt completely; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).
• Add duck to cure and weight down with a large plate (to keep submerged). Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 6 hours.
• Rinse duck and pat dry, then discard brine.
• Prepare grill and cold-smoke duck:
• Prepare grill and cold-smoke duck followingprocedure for grilling and cold-smoking chicken legs . (Duck will not be cooked.)
• Cool duck completely, uncovered, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to thinly slice and fry (seeduck breast bacon and frisée salad recipe ).