SALAD OF THE MONTH

Most major supermarkets and certainly specialty food stores will carry D'Artagnan brand of cooked Magret duck breasts that are delicious and make this salad easy to prepare. You can also check D'Artagnan as a mail-order source for cooked smoked duck breasts.  If you can't find them in your supermarket or specialty food shop, you can always make a visit to your favorite Chinese restaurant and just buy a Chinese roasted duck  Just ask for the whole duck so you can cut the breasts off the bone or else they will chop the duck into many pieces as is the Chinese style.  No need to roast the duck yourself! 

Duck Salad with Orange, Pomegranate and Glazed Pecans

Slice cooked duck breasts on the diagonal into 1/4-inch strips. Refrigerate if not using within the hour.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, cook brown sugar and salt over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt. Shake the pan occasionally but do not stir. Reduce heat to low and cook until sugar is completely melted. Add the pecans and stir to coat them evenly using a heat-proof rubber spatula. Turn out onto a buttered baking sheet to cool (these pecans may be made ahead of time and will keep indefinitely in a tightly closed container at room temperature)

In a small bowl, combine honey and Amaretto. Gradually and in the oil and whisk until mixture is thick. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, arugula and frisée.  Add the orange segments and pomegranate seeds.  Drizzle just enough of the dressing over the greens to lightly coat them. Plate an equal amount of the dressed salad on 4 chilled plates and place an equal amount of duck strips on each plate, arranged in a decorative manner either on top of or next to the dressed salad. Sprinkle each salad with reserved glazed pecans. 

Yield: 4 servings.

Video of how to cut orange segments courtesy of New England Culinary Institute at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in the British Virgin Islands.

  Click on picture to see video

_{Copyright © 2005 Ann Hall Every, CCP}