duck, pear and pomegranate salad

How to make duck, pear and pomegranate salad recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 15–20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 large, lean duck breasts
2 Comice pears, cored and diced
125 g (4 oz) mixed leaf and herb salad
50 g (2 oz) walnut pieces
1 pomegranate, seeds removed

Dressing:
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons raspberry vinegar
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional – see right for homemade)
2 tablespoons walnut oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Remove any excess fat from the duck breasts and score the surface using a sharp knife. Heat a ridged griddle pan until hot, then add the duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 8–10 minutes.

Turn them over and cook for a further 5–10 minutes or until cooked to the pinkness desired. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest.

Mix together the pears and leaf salad in a bowl. Arrange on serving plates and scatter with the walnut pieces.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Drizzle over the salad.

Slice the duck breasts and arrange on the salad. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

For homemade pomegranate molasses, juice 2 large pomegranates with a citrus press or remove the seeds and pulse in a food processor or blender.

Pour the juice into a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer rapidly until reduced to a thick, sticky molasses. Cool and store in an airtight bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

duck, pear and pomegranate salad