Emeril's Wok Seared Duck Salad...One Pot Blogger Party Post 8

I love salads. To me a meal isn't complete without a salad.  What's even better is when the meal itself is the salad.  Main course salads of all varieties are something I just really enjoy.  So I was really excited to see that one of the 3 Emeril recipes I could share in full, from his new book Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders, was for a Wok Seared Duck Salad.

This was actually one of the first recipes I tried...why then am I waiting until week 3 to post?  Just because I wanted to whine down this little blogger party with something extra special.  And this salad fits the bill.

Please don't let the fact that it's duck deter you from trying this recipe.  I'm sure you can easily substitute chicken; but don't.  No wok; no worries...I cooked my duck in a skillet and it turned out perfect.

Another thing I urge you to do is not to skip the toasted Jasmine.  I know it seems really strange to grind the rice and use it in powder form but it really adds an extra dimension to this dish.

There's still one post left...you can expect another yummy dish and the giveaway winner to be announced.  You haven't entered yet?  What are you waiting for...click here for details.


Wok Seared Duck Salad
2 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice
1 tablespoon minced fresh red Thai bird chile
2 magret duck breasts (about 12 ounces each) or 1 ½ pounds other domestic duck breasts
1/3 cup minced shallot
1 ½ tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
¼ cup fish sauce (see note below)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 ½ teaspoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh basil leaves
1 medium head of red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup julienned red bell pepper

1. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the rice. Toast the rice, shaking the wok constantly, until all the grains have turned golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the rice to a mortar and set aside to cool. Once the rice has cooled, grind it using a pestle until it reaches a sandy consistency. Alternatively, grind the toasted rice in a clean spice grinder. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Place the chile in the wok over medium-high heat and cook, shaking the wok, until lightly colored and fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove the chile from the pan and add to the bowl with the rice.

3. Using a paring knife, score the fatty side of the duck breasts by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern; this allows the fat to render more easily. Place the duck breasts in the wok, fatty side down, and cook over medium heat until the skin is golden brown and slightly crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board, slice them into thin strips, and return the strips to the wok. Add the shallot and ginger and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the duck is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the duck from the wok to the bowl with the rice and chile and set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and palm sugar and mix well. Pour the mixture over the duck and toss until well coated. Add the cilantro, mint, basil, lettuce, bean sprouts, and julienned red pepper and toss to combine. Serve the salad immediately.