Pecan Crusted Duck Confit And Wilted Spinach Salad Food

CURED DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse, pat dry and trim the duck legs (use the excess fat to render). Rub salt and herbs into duck legs allow to cure for 2 days covered in refrigerator. Melt duck fat and bring to 200 degrees. Rinse salt off of duck, pat dry and immerse in pan of duck fat, cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Duck can be held refrigerated for several days. Before service remove duck from fat, discard skin (or use to make cracklings) and take meat from bone. Reserve duck fat.
• In a small saucepan add halved shallots, honey and just enough water to cover; bring to a boil and simmer until tender and glazed, remove and reserve.
• In a medium saute pan heat 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat, add potatoes, duck, walnuts, reserved shallots and toss until hot. Add chopped shallots, green beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and taste for seasonings.
• Arrange in the center of plate, garnish with watercress tossed in olive oil and crouton brushed with farmers cheese.
• In a non reactive saucepan, combine milk and slowly bring to 180 degrees. Strain through cheesecloth and allow to cool. When cool, place in a bowl, season, add herbs and lemon zest, to taste.

VIDALIA ONION STEAK AND WILTED SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Place spinach and red pepper on large serving platter or divide evenly among 4 individual salad plates. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Saute steak quickly until medium rare. Remove from pan. Add remaining oil and saute onion slices until softened and translucent. Stir in vinegar, water, honey, mustard, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Quickly stir in meat. Spoon over spinach. Serve immediately.

ORIENTAL DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Score the top of the duck breast before marinating.
• Marinade: Combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 5-spice, brown sugar, chili flakes, basil, cilantro, and salt. Add the duck to the marinade and coat well.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the duck breasts and saute until golden brown on both sides and cooked to your desired temperature, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
• Remove the duck from the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with coffee. Add the reserved marinade and reduce to desired consistency.
• In a mixing bowl, combine dashi with sugar and rice wine vinegar. Transfer mixture to a blender and add garlic, fresh ginger, pickled ginger and pinch of salt. Slowly add salad oil to the blender. Refrigerate until needed.
• Have fryer heated to 360 degrees F.
• Deep-fry the menlo until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from the oil to a paper towel lined plate. On a platter, place deep-fried menlo topped with spring mix. Slice duck breast and place on top of greens. Serve with chilled pickled ginger vinaigrette. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

CHUNKY CHEESE POTATO SOUP AND WILTED SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook the bacon until it is browned and crispy. Remove the bacon strips and crumble, leaving the drippings in the pot.
• Cook the onion and potatoes in the bacon drippings until they are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Stir in the cream, salt, and pepper. Dredge the cheese in flour and slowly add the cheese to the pot until it is melted. Add the crumbled bacon to the pot and stir everything together until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Serve in a hollowed out bread roll.
• In a medium sized pan, cook the bacon until it is browned and crispy. Remove the bacon strips from the pan, leaving only the drippings. Slowly add the vinegar to the pan, whisking constantly. Whisk in the sugar. Put the spinach into the pan and toss the leaves with the dressing until they wilt slightly. Remove the salad from the pan and garnish with chopped tomatoes and crumbled bacon.

PECAN-CRUSTED FISH FILLETS

Steps:

• Mix pecans, bread crumbs and lemon peel in shallow bowl. Beat egg and milk with wire whisk or fork in another shallow bowl.
• Cut fish into 4 serving pieces. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Coat fish with egg mixture, then coat well with pecan mixture, pressing slightly into fish.
• Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, turning once carefully with 2 pancake turners, until fish flakes easily with fork and is brown. Serve with lemon wedges.

DUCK, WILTED SPINACH AND WHITE BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Season the duck breasts with the salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until almost smoking. Add the duck and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook until crisp and brown on the outside and still rare in the center, about 3 minutes longer. Remove the duck from the pan and set aside; keep warm.
• Gradually place the spinach in the skillet, and stir-fry until barely wilted, adding more as room allows. Place in a bowl and toss with the beans. Add the vinegar to the skillet and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add to the spinach mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cut the duck on the diagonal into thin slices. Divide the spinach mixture among 4 plates and drape the duck slices over it. Serve immediately.