Duck and Nectarine Salad

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This is a simple salad that has some classic flavor combinations that work so well together. The pairing of Duck with Fruit works magic on your taste buds. The fattiness of perfectly rendered, crispy Duck skin paired with the sweetness of delicious ripe Fruit is such an awesome flavor combination. So naturally, this Duck and Nectarine Salad has everything going for it!

Depending on where you are in the world, and what time of year it is the Fruit choice for this Salad can differ based on what is in season. We created this dish in the summertime where fruits like Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums are at their best. There are plenty of great, sweet fruits that will work all year round for this Salad

Alternatives to Nectarines that work just as well

Any juicy fruit with natural sweetness is going to work exceptionally well with this salad. Some great alternatives to Nectarines are plentiful. A few good examples are Mangoes, Plums, Peaches, Strawberries, Kiwi Fruit, Pineapple, and of course Cherries, which we all know is a classic pairing with duck

A slightly sweet vinaigrette with Honey and Balsamic makes the Duck and Nectarine Salad flavors come alive

Cooking is such a fascinating science. The idea of balance plays so strongly in recipe creation. For instance, if you are creating quite a rich dish full of fat and butter, a great cooking technique is to balance, or ‘offset’ that fattiness with some acid such as Lemon. On the complete contrary to the idea of balance, is introducing complimentary flavors. Where you have naturally sweet ingredients, in this case, Nectarines, that are complimented with more sweetness with the introduction of Honey into the Vinaigrette

Sparingly used, Honey adds not only some added sweetness to the salad, but a lovely thick texture which makes the Duck and Nectarine salad feel more upscale and luxurious when eating it. The Honey is paired with Balsamic which does bring in that acidic balance we mentioned earlier, so do not fear. This is a well balances Salad that uses sweetness to accentuate the Fruits

A simple technique to guarantee crispy Duck skin every time

Rendering the Duck fat and getting crispy skin is a critical step in getting the best result from this amazing produce It is also quite simple to do, it just takes some time. Prepare this dish a few days ahead as part of your weekly meal plan to get the best result

Place the Duck Breasts in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 2 days prior to cooking. This process will completely dry out the skin and remove all its excess moisture. When you are ready to cook, do not score the duck breast, simply poke lots of tiny holes into it with a sewing needle / pin. Trust us, it may seem weird, but this is the best technique to prepare Duck Breast for a crispy skin

Avoiding scoring the Duck also leaves it looking a lot prettier on the plate. So, if you’re wanting to get a little bit showy with your presentation, this technique helps a lot

Duck and Nectarine Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Duck Breasts
• ½ lb. Nectarines, cut into bite sized chunks
• ½ lb. Tomatoes, deseeded and sliced
•  1 tsp. Honey
• 2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Prepare your Duck by seasoning with ½ tsp. of Salt on the skin then placing it in the refrigerator uncovered 2 days prior to cooking. This step is critical to get the Duck skin as crispy as possible. When you are ready to cook, remove the Duck 1 hour before cooking to being back to room temperature
2. Poke lots of tiny holes into the Duck skin with a sewing needle / pin. This is a great technique to help render the fat during the cooking process without having to score the Duck skin. We prefer this technique as it looks a lot nicer and doesn’t run the risk of cutting into the meat when scoring
3. In a large frying pan, place the Duck Breasts skin side down. Season the exposed meat with ½ tsp. Salt then turn on the heat to low to slowly render the fat. 90% of the cooking happens on the skin side, so cook for about 18 minutes until the skin is beautifully crispy and a dark golden color
4. Finish the Duck by flipping it over, and getting some color on the meat, 1 – 2 minutes max. Once the Duck reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees, remove from heat to rest for 10 minutes. The residual heat will continue to cook the Duck to a perfect medium rare temperature
5. In a Salad Bowl combine the Honey, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and 1 tsp. of Salt. Whisk well to combine, then add the Tomatoes and Nectarines. Stir well to cover the Fruit with the vinaigrette
6. To serve, place a portion of Salad on a plate, slice the Duck Breasts and place them neatly on top of the Salad. Sprinkle over some flaky finishing Salt and serve immediately
   
   

The key to getting the most out of this delicious Duck and Nectarine Salad is preparation. Provided that you prepare your Duck 2 days prior you will get the most out of this dish

 If you are in a pinch and don’t have time, it is perfectly fine to cook the Duck without the 2 day wait. You just may not get the best crispy skin, so if you can, give it those 2 days in the refrigerator!

We love this Duck and Nectarine Salad as it’s own dinner, as it is quite hearty. You can also eat this as an appetizer before a main, just reduce the portion sizes. Here are a few great Dinners that you can pair with this yummy Salad

• Epic Short Rib Lasagna
• Beef and Guinness Pie
• Cast Iron Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms
• Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder
  

Happy Cooking!