Hot summer days sometimes require a lighter meal. When humidity is high and the thermometer is about to burst, we offer this Apple, Bacon and Duck Breast Salad recipe from Russ Crandall. The rich flavors of duck along with savory bacon and the sweet/tart of apple is very appealing. Besides the wonderful flavors, the best part of this recipe is that it’s quick and easy to put together. It’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
Recipe Author: Russ Crandall/The Domestic Man
US Wellness Meats Shopping List: Pork Bacon, Skin-On Duck Breast
Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
PHOTO CREDIT: Russ Crandall/The Domestic Man
Ingredients:
Basic Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 pinch fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 dashes salt, more to taste
- 6 oz bacon, sliced
- 2 duck breasts
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 apples, thinly sliced
Instructions For Apple, Bacon, and Duck Breast Salad
- Combine the vinaigrette ingredients and stir until well-mixed, then set aside. Score the duck’s fat in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to pierce the meat. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper, then set aside. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes, then set aside to drain on paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the duck breasts skin-side-down in a cold skillet, then turn the heat on to med/high. Sauté until the skin is crispy and golden, about 10 minutes, reducing heat as needed to prevent splattering. Flip and sear for one more minute, then transfer the skillet and breasts to the oven and roast until cooked to your liking, about 4 minutes for medium and 7 minutes for medium-well (see note below about doneness). Remove from the oven and skillet, and set aside to rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Re-stir the vinaigrette then toss it with the lettuce. Divide the lettuce into four bowls then divide the bacon and apple sliced into the bowls. Thinly slice the duck breasts then distribute the breast pieces onto the salads, then serve.
** The USDA recommends cooking duck to 165F (medium-well), but about 145F (medium) yields a better texture and more tender meat. Your call!
** Feel free to add any other salad ingredients you’d like: grapes, dried cranberries, walnuts, carrots. Sky’s the limit.
Meet The Chef
A big US Wellness thank you goes out to Russ Crandall, The Domestic Man. At his blog, you’ll find gluten-free and Paleo-friendly recipes. His recipes focus on classic, traditional, and international dishes from a historical, linguistic, and cultural perspective.
Russ released his debut cookbook, The Ancestral Table: Paleo Recipes for a Traditional Lifestyle, in February 2014, and his second cookbook, The New York Times-bestselling Paleo Takeout: Restaurant Favorites without the Junk, in June 2015.
