Harvest Apple Salad with Crispy Duck Confit

Harvest Apple Salad with Crispy Duck Confit

Serves 8

Duck Confit

• 4 skin-on, bone-in duck legs

• Coarse salt freshly ground black pepper

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 dried bay leaves

• Olive oil for covering duck in roasting pan

Cider Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup fresh apple cider

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup honey mustard or Dijon mustard

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad

• 4 gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges per apple

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide sticks

• 6 cups thinly sliced kale

• 6 cups thinly sliced frisée lettuce

• 10 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced

For duck confit:

1. Generously salt and pepper duck legs and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour. Prick skin of duck legs all over with a needle or a small, sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the meat. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and sear duck legs until golden on both sides. Place in a baking dish just large enough to fit all 6 legs and cover with rendered duck fat from skillet. Add thyme, bay leaves, and enough olive oil to submerge duck.

3. Place in oven, uncovered, and bake 2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool in fat to room temperature.

4. Remove duck legs from fat; remove meat from bones, discarding bones; pull meat into shreds.

5. Place shredded meat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; cook just until duck is crispy. Set aside.

For vinaigrette:

1. Place apple cider and vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce by half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Combine reduced apple cider-vinegar and mustard in blender; blend until combined. With blender on medium speed, slowly stream in olive oil.

3. Removed from blender and place in bowl; stir in thyme and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For salad:

1. Smear cold butter in bottom of large skillet. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Add apples slices and turn on heat to medium-high. As butter begins to melt and sugar caramelizes, turn apples to brown both sides. Add more butter if necessary; cook apples until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, turning often. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Combine kale, frisée, radishes, and gala apple sticks in a large bowl, tossing to combine. Add shredded duck.

3. Add just enough dressing to coat, tossing to combine. Serve immediately with caramelized apple slices.