Dazzling Duck
 
Forget foie gras. When it comes to gourmet French, chef Antonio Burrell says duck confit is “everything that you want: rich, meaty, crisp, salty and tender.” He suggests pairing the “sexy” and “satisfying” fowl with everything from bitter greens—a la the decadent salad below—to roasted potatoes or even fruits and berries. Meanwhile, Burrell says he prefers a crisp pinot grigio or youthful chardonnay with his salad.

Photography by Anastasia Chernyavsky

Duck confit salad
Antonio Burrell
Executive chef, Eleventh Street Lounge

INGREDIENTS
12 to 14 ounces (roughly 4 legs) duck confit (homemade or from specialty food store)
1 cup mixed mushrooms (shiitake/portobello/cremino)
1 small yellow onion or sweet onion
1 clove garlic
4 slices thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
6 ounces mixed greens (watercress/arugula/frisée)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup radishes
6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 shallots
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)

PREPARATION
Place duck legs in preheated oven and warm till meat is tender. Strip meat from bones; discard everything but the rendered fat.

Preheat large saute pan on medium heat. Half fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar to the water and reduce heat to a simmer.

Clean and de-stem the greens. Peel and julienne the shallot and the yellow onion, keeping them separate. Thinly slice the garlic, radishes and tomatoes; set aside.

Stack the smoked bacon slices and cross cut into matchsticks. Add half the olive oil to the preheated pan, heat throughout; add bacon and cook till crisp. Remove and reserve bacon.

Add onions to bacon fat and cook till soft, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine the radish, tomato, shallot and mixed greens in a large mixing bowl.

Using a citrus zester, remove the zest from the lemon and add to a small bowl with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Mix with a whisk and set aside.

Add mushrooms to the onion; continue cooking over medium-high heat till soft and colored. Gently crack each egg into the simmering water and poach till soft-boiled, approximately 4 minutes. Add duck, thyme and garlic to onion and mushroom mixture and cook for 3 more minutes or until garlic is soft. Add white wine and reduce till nearly evaporated; add chicken stock. Reduce the chicken stock till it coats the duck mixture, add the bacon pieces and turn off heat; season to taste.

Arrange equal portions of duck mixture on each plate. Place one poached egg atop each serving of duck. Re-whisk the olive oil and lemon vinaigrette and gently toss with the greens. Arrange greens on each plate.

(June/July 2007)