Duck Breast and Frisée Salad Recipe

Duck Breast and Frisée Salad Recipe

  • 3 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes from a country-style loaf
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cold-smoked duck breast halves (page 93; see cooks' note, below), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 10 oz frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (8 cups)
  1. Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Toss bread with oil and kosher salt and spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan, then bake until golden, about 12 minutes.
  3. Whisk together Sherry vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt to taste in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
  4. Fry duck slices in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until browned, about 3 minutes per batch (use caution; fat will splatter). Transfer duck breast bacon with tongs to a paper-towel-lined platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
  5. Fill a deep 10-inch skillet with 1 1/4 inches cold water. Add distilled vinegar and bring to a simmer.
  6. Break 1 egg into a cup, then slide egg into simmering water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing them in skillet, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Gently transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Toss frisée and croutons with dressing. Serve salad topped with duck bacon and eggs.