Orange Duck Salad

Yes, another salad for dinner.  This time, it is not just any salad though.  Duck is the star of this dish.  Somehow, I think duck is a very special ingredient to cook with.   Not that we don’t eat ducks often (we get BBQ ducks from the Chinese restaurants all the time).  It’s just that I don’t cook with it a lot.  Maybe because the duck seems too hard to handle?  However, this Orange Duck Salad is quite easy to make and it’s definitely one of my new favorite. 





I love using ingredients that are in season.  Not only they are in their best quality, they are very affordable as well.  These beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes (in assorted colors too) were sitting on the trays in the market that I couldn’t resisted bringing home.  My husband loves the spicy and crisp Belgium Endives, they balance well with the sweetness of the orange vinaigrette.  So, they’re all coming home with me.



I got this Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe's.  If you don't have one near by, you can purchase the vinegar online from here.



The Orange Duck Salad pairs perfectly with a glass of red.  It was such a perfect meal for summer weekend.  Really look forward to making this salad again, very soon.







Orange Duck Salad: Printable Recipe

Servings: 2

To brine the duck:
2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Pineapple Orange Juice
5 Whole Black Peppercorns
5 Springs of Fresh Thyme
1 Garlic Clove, smashed
1 Shallot, minced
2 Duck Breast, bone in and skin on

For the vinaigrette:
1 Shallot, minced
2 Tablespoons of Orange Champagne Vinegar (or regular champagne vinegar)
2 Tablespoons Good Quality Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Orange Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Orange Zest
Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 Orange, segmented and cut into bite size pieces
3 Belgium Endives, trim the bottom half-inch and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 Cup Arugula
A handful of Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, split in half
2 Cups of Springs Mix Greens or Mesclun

Clean and dry the duck breasts, lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
Combine all brine ingredients and duck breasts in a zip lock bag. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Place the bag in a plastic container and brine the duck over night in the refrigerator.

Heat a heavy duty or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear the duck breasts, skin side down for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain out the duck fat from the skillet often. Flip the breast and cook other sides. Total cook time should be around 8 to 10 minutes or until medium-rare, depending on the size. Remove duck from skillet and cover with foil to rest the meat.

For the vinaigrette, combine the shallots, vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.

Remove the duck breast from the rib bones. Slice the duck breasts into 1/4- inch thickness. Toss all vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle enough vinaigrette to moisten . Place duck breast slices on top and serve.