Roasted Duck Spring Salad
This salad sits right at the edge of the seasons, roasted duck and butternut squash from winter, blood oranges and fresh greens from spring. It’s substantial enough to be dinner, bright enough to remind you the light is changing.
Stephen developed this recipe around ingredients he’s collected over the years: hazelnuts from Lazio that he brought back from Italy, our Aceto Vivo red wine vinegar, Lustau sherry vinegar, Bates & Schmitt apple cider syrup. The vinaigrette alone has layers, sweet, tart, complex. What Stephen calls agrodoce, that Italian balance of flavors working together.
Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 1 medium shallot, very finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (we use our Aceto Vivo)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider syrup (we use Bates & Schmitt)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (we use our Estate Tuscan Blend)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts (about 1–1½ pounds total) Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
- Olive oil, for roasting
- 4–6 cups mixed greens
- ½ cup hazelnuts from Lazio (or any quality hazelnuts), toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 blood oranges, segmented
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette first (this needs an hour).
- In a small bowl, combine the minced shallot, grated garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, apple cider syrup, and Dijon mustard. Stir well, then let it sit at room temperature for one full hour. This maceration mellows the raw bite of the shallot and garlic and builds that agrodoce complexity Stephen’s always talking about. Don’t skip this step—it’s what makes the dressing.
- Roast the butternut squash.
- While the vinaigrette sits, preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss the cubed butternut squash with a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender. Let it cool slightly. (This can be done a day ahead and stored in the fridge.)
- Toast the hazelnuts.
- If your hazelnuts aren’t already toasted, spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool, then roughly chop. Set aside.
- Prepare the duck.
- Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold oven-safe skillet (cast iron works great). Turn the heat to medium and let the fat render slowly, about 8–10 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip the duck and transfer the skillet to a 400°F oven. Roast for 6–8 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp 135°F).
- Remove from the oven and let the duck rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
- Assemble the salad.
- In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens and roasted butternut squash with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat!
- Divide the dressed greens among individual plates. Top each plate with sliced duck breast, toasted hazelnuts, and blood orange segments. Drizzle a little extra vinaigrette over the top if you like.
- Serve immediately with Stephen’s garlic bread on the side.
