Duck Prosciutto Salad with Fresh Figs and Manchego Cheese
My husband and I love going to our local farmers’ market. The Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market is now open 7 days a week however some vendors are only there on Saturdays. We get up early to allow us to walk around Point Pleasant Park then head over to the market and stop at Wrap So D where Chef Darren Poirier whips up hearty breakfast wraps and omelettes. There’s always a queue so John goes around the corner to Steve-O-Reno’s for cappuccinos (another queue) and we meet up wherever a seat is available. The rooftop is now open so that’s an option when the weather is good.
The market attracts a cornucopia of vendors ranging from farmers to artists and it’s always a thrill when I see a new and interesting stall. Feeling quite satiated from breakfast, John and I wandered around looking at various products and came across a display case with duck prosciutto, rabbit rillette, and Toulouse sausage to name a few! We had had duck prosciutto before but couldn’t recall where so when I spoke to Frederic Tandy of Charcuterie Ratinaud, he told me he sells this to Obladee Wine Bar and that was when the penny dropped! Yes, I said, we did have their charcuterie board and duck prosciutto was on it. I asked Frederic other ways to serve the duck and he said a popular one is in a salad which hails from the southwest of France. Salade Perigourdine is a traditional salad consisting of salad greens, tomatoes, duck gizzards (could use foie gras) and dressing made of walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and grainy mustard. I had intended to make this but I decided to ‘next’ time as I wanted a lighter salad.
Serves 4
adapted from Seduction Meals
handful or two of mixed greens
1 Belgian endive (leaves washed and separated)
half a cucumber, peeled, julienned
2 fresh figs, quartered
4 to 5 slices duck prosciutto
Manchego cheese, sliced
1 tart apple, thinly sliced
Meyer Lemon extra-virgin olive oil
cranberry-pear balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, dress the salad greens with a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Divide this between 4 plates. Add cucumber, apple and fig quarters. Top with one or two Belgian endive leaves on each plate and place duck prosciutto on top. Arrange Manchego cheese slices and drizzle with Meyer lemon olive oil and a tiny splash of the cranberry-pear balsamic vinegar. Finish off with freshly ground black pepper.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: The flavor of this duck prosciutto was sweet and silky and the fat was so thin even it tasted delicious! Through some research, I found out that duck prosciutto is quite easy to make so perhaps I might give this a bash as I loved using it in this salad. If you can’t find a good flavored balsamic vinegar, use a white balsamic instead. Enjoy!