Sweet Smokey Pear Salad Food

DUCK SALAD WITH SPICED PEARS AND SWEET SOY DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400*F.
• Prick the skin on each duck fillet with a fork.
• Mix the honey and soy sauce and brush all over the duck skins.
• Set the duck fillets skin side up on a rack in a baking dish or roasting tin.
• Add 2 TBS of cold water to the container and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, the skins should be golden and the meat still a little pink.
• Allow to cool.
• With a knife tip remove the core from the stalk end of each chicory head, then shred across the leaves in slices.
• Separate out the shreds.
• Pick over the watercress, discarding stalky bits.
• For the dressing, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar and sweet soy sauce and mix well.
• Peel the garlic clove and flatten with a knife blade.
• Add to the dressing and allow it to flavour the mixture until serving time.
• Then scoop out the garlic and add the chopped cilantro.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pears.
• First choose a pan into which 6 medium size pears will fit snugly so they will be covered with the syrup.
• Measure 2 cups cold water into the pan, add the sugar, spices and lemon rind and stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar.
• Peel the pears, leaving them whole with stalks intact.
• As each pear is peeled, drop it into the pan.
• Replace the pan over the heat and bring to a simmer, half cover with the pan lid and cook pears gently until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes; test with a knife tip.
• Add the lemon juice and allow the pears to cool in the syrup before removing them for the duck salad.
• To assemble the salad, thinly slice the duck fillets lengthways.
• Cut the pears in quarters lengthways.
• To serve, scatter the chicory and watercress on a serving platter.
• Add the duck and pears, then spoon over the dressing.