Duck Salad With Wild Rice Pecans Grapes And Orange Dressing Recipes

DUCK AND WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature while making salad.
• Cook rice:
• Rinse rice well in a large sieve under cold water, then drain. Heat butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in water and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (Grains will split open but not all liquid will be absorbed.) Drain well in a colander and cool to warm before adding to dressing. (Spread rice out in a shallow baking pan to cool faster.)
• Cook sugar snaps and duck while rice is cooking:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook sugar snaps in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, then drain well.
• Pat duck dry and season with salt and pepper. Score skin in a crosshatch pattern and place duck, skin sides up, in a lightly oiled shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 120°F (for medium-rare), about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Transfer duck to a cutting board and when just cool enough to handle, remove skin. Thinly slice skin (scored side down), keeping duck breast warm, loosely covered with foil. Bake skin in baking pan in middle of oven until very crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Cut duck breast halves in half horizontally (butterfly-style), then cut across the grain into thin slices. Add duck and any juices to dressing along with rice, sugar snaps, scallions, apricots, pecans, and salt and toss gently to combine.
• Just before serving, scatter crisp duck skin on top.
• Available at D'Artagnan (800-327-8246) and Hudson Valley Foie Gras (877-289-3643).

WILD RICE WITH PECANS, RAISINS, AND ORANGE ESSENCE

Steps:

• In a medium pot over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the wild rice, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the rice grains are tender, about 1 hour. Drain the cooked rice and transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a second medium pot over high heat, bring remaining 1 cup of water and the white rice to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest in the pot for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Combine the wild and white rice, then add the pecans, raisins, onions, and mint and toss to combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, orange zest, and juice, then pour it over the rice salad and toss to coat. Cover the salad and let it sit at room temperate for 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.
• DO AHEAD
• The RICE SALAD can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, covered, overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Place the wild rice in a medium pot with 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the rice is very tender. Drain well and place the rice back in the pot. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. While the rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.