Happy New Year! Well, didn't December fly by? Did you all have a lovely Christmas? Mine was spent with family for an extended period of time and it was awesome. Although I managed to get sick the weekend before with an upper and lower respiratory infection along with bronchitis. Yep, how lucky was I?! I am still struggling with it two weeks later but it's OK. I have managed to find some time to rest and should be better in no time.
After all the guests had left we managed to squeeze in a last minute dinner with dear friends. A glorious duck salad was presented to us after we gorged on antipasti and exquisite cheeses brought from Melbourne by other friends of ours. I was in heaven as you can guess! I received a few requests for the recipe so I decided to make the duck salad for dinner and turn it into a blog post so you too can cook it. It is perfect for those hot summer nights when you really can't be bothered doing too much. I used quite a few salad ingredients that needed eating from the fridge so feel free to substitute with whatever you have on hand.
I thought I had a punnet of cherry tomatoes handy but alas! They had been eaten. I used a normal tomato instead as I love the colour and also the taste. The duck breasts are available from leading supermarkets and I have actually frozen them before for when I needed them. A packet of two breasts are perfect for four or even six. I had flaked almonds and walnuts on hand but you could use any type of nut you prefer. Cashews, pinenuts, pistachios or even hazelnuts. I lightly toasted mine before adding them to the salad. Here is what I did:
Preheat the oven (or barbie) to 190 degrees. Cook the duck according to packet directions by placing the breasts onto a baking paper lined dish and pouring the marinade on top.
I cooked them for 11 minutes but 10 minutes would have been better. While the duck cooks prepare the rest of the salad. Lightly toast a handful of nuts and leave to cool.
Wash half a wombok and cut it into small pieces and place into a serving bowl. This forms the base of your salad.
Cut up the spring onions, tomato, cucumber, coriander, mango and avocado and add to the wombok leaves.
The best way to cut a mango is by cutting the cheeks from either side of the seed and slicing it into small pieces and popping out the cheek. Scrape off the pieces using your knife (see below).
I had some spare pomegranate arils in the freezer so I used those too. Add the nuts and a good handful of the fried noodles.
Once you have left the duck to rest for a few minutes finely slice the breasts and place on top of the salad. Give a good grind of salt and pepper and drizzle over the dressing plus some of the marinade that the duck's cooked in.
And there you have it. A delicious duck salad that is literally prepared in minutes. Enjoy with a glass of cold white wine and bask in the glory of your salad!
Here is to a wonderful 2019. If you have any suggestions of what you would like to see on the blog then please email me and I will get onto it! I have a heap of exciting things coming my way this year and I can’t wait to share them with you.
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