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Duck salad with grapefruit, pickled onion and pecans
Serves 4 (Start 1 day before) Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled
- 3 star anise
- 1–2tsp chipotle chilli flakes
- 1tbsp flaked sea salt
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 2tbsp honey
- 2 pink or red grapefruit
- 2 x 80g bags of watercress
- 75g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
- large handful coriander, chopped
For the pickled onion
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- ½tsp flaked salt
- 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
For the dressing
- 1tbsp English mustard
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
The day before, marinate the duck and make the pickled onion. Cut slashes at 2cm intervals through the skin of the duck, going deep into the meat. Transfer to a dish where they will fit in a snug, single layer.
Put the crumbled cinnamon, star anise and chipotle flakes in a small frying pan and toast for a few minutes over a medium heat, then tip into a spice mill or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl and stir through the salt, olive oil and honey to make a paste. Rub this into the duck breasts, pushing deep into the slashes. Cover and transfer to the fridge to marinate.
For the pickled onion, put the onion and salt in a bowl. Massage a little, then stir through the vinegar. Cover and put in the fridge overnight.
The next day, use a small sharp knife to slice off the top and bottom of the grapefruit, then pare away the skin, removing as much white pith as you can. Set a sieve over a bowl and segment the grapefruit over it – slicing either side of the membrane to release each segment into the sieve and allowing the juice to fall through into the bowl. Squeeze the leftover membranes over the sieve to extract as much juice as possible. Set the segments aside.
For the dressing, whisk the mustard and garlic through the juice in the bowl, then drizzle in the oil, whisking to form a dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the barbecue for direct and indirect grilling. Put the duck breasts on the grill, just to the side of the fire, to sear, turning them almost constantly. They will flame up a little as the fat renders – just keep them moving. Once browned and crispy, slide them away from the heat and shut the lid. Leave to finish cooking indirectly, taking the internal temperature to 52C for rare, 60C for medium or 74C for well done.
Toss the watercress, reserved grapefruit segments and dressing together on a platter. Sprinkle the pecans, coriander and pickled onion over. Carve the duck into thick slices across the grain and arrange on top of the salad to serve.
This recipe featured in the June 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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