This spanish influenced dish can be served as a first course or as a side dish with an entree. I have had great success using this as part of my "duck three ways" on some menus with seared duck breast and foie gras mashed potatos.
This is one of my favorite variations , inspired by the beautiful golden raisins I recently found in the local wine country farmers market.
Please feel free to substitute any ingredients that you prefer, and I will give some suggestions on possible alternatives.
Warm Spinach and Duck Confit Salad
Serves 2
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Melted Butter
1.5 Tbs Shallots diced
3 Tbs Walnuts lightly toasted (sub:pinenuts,hazelnuts, or almonds)
2.5 Tbs Plump Golden Raisins (sub dried cranberries,cherries or any other dried fruit that you like)
.75 Cup of Duck Confit (recipe follows) (sub smoked chicken braised pork or any protein on hand)
.5 cup Manchego Cheese cut into half inch cubes
2.5 Cups Blanched Baby Spinach,squeezed of excess water
1.5 Tbs Aged Sherry Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Aged Balsamic Vinegar to garnish the plate
In a medium sized saute pan heat the oil and butter. Sweat the shallots for one minute, add the walnuts, raisins and duck confit continue to saute for two more minutes. Add the cheese and spinach . Toss until the spinach is warm and the cheese begins to melt, deglaze with the sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to warm plates garnis the plates with drops of Balsamic
Duck Confit
2 Duck Legs
2 oz Kosher Salt
1 oz Sugar
.25 ts Ground Black Pepper
2 ea. Juniper Berries
1 Bayleaf crushed
.25 ts Garlic chopped
1.5 ts Thyme chopped
1 ts Rosemary chopped
Rendered duck fat as needed
Mix all the seasonings for the curing mix together and coat the duck with the mixture. Refidgerate for 12-72 hours. Remove the duck from the fridge and rinse off excess seasonings. Pat dry and place into an ovenproof pan. Cover the ducklegs with duck fat and place into a 300 degree oven until meat is very tender and falling off the bone. Cool and reserve in fat until ready for use. To use, remove legs from fat and melt off any excess fat , pick meat from bone in large pieces.
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