Duck, rice, mushroom and orange salad
In this attractive salad, full-flavoured shiitake and Swiss brown mushrooms are combined with slices of tender grilled duck, juicy orange segments, colourful pomegranate seeds, crunchy water chestnuts and rice, with a fresh ginger and honey dressing.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- ½ cup (250 g) basmati and wild rice, rinsed
- 400 g boneless duck breasts, skinned
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 125 g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
- 125 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 oranges
- 1 pomegranate
- 230 g can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
- 50 g lamb's lettuce or baby salad leaves
- GINGER AND HONEY DRESSING
- ½ teaspoon orange zest and 1 tablespoon orange juice (from 1 of the oranges)
- 25 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1½ tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Directions
Preparation:30min ›
Cook:30min ›
Extra time:15min ›
Ready in:1hour15min
- Bring the rice and 1 cup water to the boil in a covered saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer rice to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron, ridged grill pan. Brush the duck breasts on both sides with 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil, then cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side, or longer for medium or well-done. (If you don't have a ridged grill pan, cook the duck under a medium grill.) Transfer the duck to a board and leave to cool.
- Brush the pan with half of the remaining oil and add half the mushrooms. Cook for 3–5 minutes until tender, turning occasionally. Remove and set aside, then repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms.
- Grate ½ teaspoon of zest from one of the oranges and set aside for the dressing. Cut away all the peel and pith from the 3 oranges, then, cutting between and close to the membranes, remove the segments, holding the fruit over a bowl to catch the juices. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the juice for the dressing.
- Cut the pomegranate in half and carefully remove the seeds, leaving the pith behind. (See Ingredient Note.) Add half the pomegranate seeds to the rice with the orange segments, mushrooms, water chestnuts and lamb's lettuce or salad leaves.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the orange zest and juice, ginger, mustard, honey and walnut oil in a small bowl. Season to taste. Add 1 tablespoon of dressing to the rice mixture, toss well, then transfer to a serving platter.
- Thinly slice the duck and arrange over the rice. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and sprinkle with the remaining pomegranate seeds just before serving.
Ingredient Note:
To seed a pomegranate without making a mess:
• Use a mixing bowl that's wide enough to fit your hands in but is fairly deep so you won't splash too much. Fill it half-full with water.
• Cut the pomegranate in half and submerge the halves in water. Use your hands to separate the seeds from the inner membrane. The membrane is brittle and will float to the surface; discard membrane and outer rind as you remove the seeds.
• Skim the surface to remove any bits of membrane and broken arils.
• Drain into a colander, and the seeds are ready to use.
