Duck and watermelon salad

Serves 6 Starters and mains

The crisp texture and sweetness of watermelon perfectly balances the chewy richness of duck confit in this recipe from Oceania Cruises’ restaurant Red Ginger

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Method

To make the sauce, combine the palm sugar with 60ml water in a medium saucepan, then heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is melted.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the shallot, lemongrass, lime leaf and galangal and set aside to cool and infuse at room temperatures for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding the solids. Add 1tbsp each of the fish sauce and tamarind, mixing well. Taste and add more fish sauce and tamarind if needed. Set the sauce aside at room temperature.

To make the salad, pour the rapeseed oil into a large, deep saucepan to a depth of 10cm and heat to 165C on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a small plate with kitchen paper, ready to drain the cashews and line a larger plate for draining the duck. Add the cashews to the hot oil and fry for around 1 minute until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper-lined plate and sprinkle with salt while hot.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 180C. Add 2 duck legs to the hot oil and fry, turning to brown on all sides, until crisp, for around 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to the towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining duck legs in two batches.

When the duck legs are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin from each leg in as large a piece as possible. Cut the skin into strips and set aside. Bone the legs and shred the meat into a bowl. Season to taste with the hoisin sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine the watermelon, basil, mint and coriander. Add the duck meat, duck skin, cashews and shallot. Toss with enough of the sweet fish sauce to coat lightly (you may not need it all).

Divide the salad among individual serving plates to serve.