Cherry Glazed Duck Breast Salad
Homemade cherry vinaigrette serves as the duck glaze and salad dressing in this gourmet recipe. Simple ingredients make it a convenient choice for lunch or dinner. Save the duck breast skin to make cracklins.
Created by Chef Ted Cizma for Maple Leaf Farms
Ingredients
Glaze / Dressing
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2 cups Dried Cherries, divided
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3 cups Hot Water
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1/3 cup Raspberry Vinegar
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1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 Tbsp reserved for duck)
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Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste, as needed
Duck
Salad
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2 cups Bleu Cheese
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2 cups Almonds, slivered
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6 cups Baby Spinach Leaves, loosely packed, washed & trimmed
Directions
Glaze
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1
In a small saucepan, cover 1 cup of the cherries with water and place over low heat. Bring to a simmer, cover pan and remove from heat. Let cherries soak in the hot water for 15-20 minutes. Strain cherries (reserving liquid).
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2
Place cherries in a food processor or blender. Puree or blend until smooth, adding reserved liquid as necessary. Add the raspberry vinegar to the cherry mixture. With the blender or food processor running on low, slowly add the olive oil, reserving about 2 tablespoonfuls. Season the mixture to taste with salt and fresh black pepper. Put cherry vinaigrette aside.
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3
Prepare a hot non-stick pan or grill. Remove the skin from the duck breasts. Rub with the remaining olive oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Pour a little of the cherry vinaigrette into a separate container to use as glaze, reserve the rest as dressing. Using a pastry brush, coat the duck breasts with the cherry vinaigrette.
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4
Place the duck breasts in the hot pan over medium heat. When duck is crisp and dark brown (about 5-6 minutes) turn over and recoat with the cherry vinaigrette. Continue to cook until the second side is crisp and brown as well, brushing with vinaigrette as needed, about another 4 minutes or until cooked to 155 degree F. Remove from pan to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
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5
While the duck is resting, place the spinach in a mixing bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat the leaves. Add the bleu cheese, almonds and most of the remaining dried cherries, reserving a little of each for garnish. Season with salt and pepper.
Plating
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1
Divide spinach mixture among 4 bowls. Slice duck breast thinly on the bias, starting at one end of each breast with your knife at a 45 degree angle. Fan slices of duck on top of each salad. Sprinkle each salad with a little crumbled bleu cheese, some almonds and dried cherries. Serve with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling.
