DUCK BREAST AND FRISéE SALAD

Duck Breast and Frisée Salad image

Provided by Bruce Aidells

Yield Makes 4 first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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)

Steps:

Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
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.
Whisk together Sherry vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt to taste in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
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.
Fill a deep 10-inch skillet with 1 1/4 inches cold water. Add distilled vinegar and bring to a simmer.
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.
Gently transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.
Toss frisée and croutons with dressing. Serve salad topped with duck bacon and eggs.