WARM DUCK SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED BEETS

Warm Duck Salad with Caramelized Beets image

You may think that tangy oranges are the best partner for rich duck breast-until you try beets, that is. They're caramelized here for sweetness, then tossed with grapefruit segments (the citrus with a sharper bite). Complete the update with a bright, herby sauce that comes together right on your cutting board.

Provided by Lauryn Tyrell

Categories Food & Cooking Dinner Recipes

Time 1h20m

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 pound red beets (about 2 medium)
1 pound golden beets (about 2 medium)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium grapefruits, such as ruby red and oroblanco
1 pomelo
1 very small clove garlic
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, mint leaves, or a combination
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
2 boneless duck breast halves (1 1/4 pounds total), patted dry
1/2 cup mixed purple microgreens, such as radish, red shiso, and amaranth, for serving

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel beets and slice into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Toss with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment; cover baking sheet with parchment-lined foil. Roast until beets are tender and golden brown on one side, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, flip, and continue to roast until golden brown on second side, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, remove peels and white pith from grapefruits and pomelo. Working over a small bowl to catch juices, carefully cut between membranes to remove segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl.
Using the flat side of a heavy knife, finely mash garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt on a large cutting board to make a paste. Chop parsley and coriander seeds and combine with garlic mixture on cutting board; season with pepper.
Using a sharp knife, score duck breasts, cutting through fat but not flesh, at 1/2-inch intervals to create a crosshatch pattern. Season both sides with salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes. Place duck breasts in a cold, ovenproof nonstick skillet, skin-side down. Cook over medium heat until skin is golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Flip duck breasts, spoon off fat (reserve for another use; see cook's note) and transfer to oven, skin-side up. Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of duck registers 135°F, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to herb mixture on cutting board; let stand.
Toss beets, grapefruits, and pomelo with 2 tablespoons reserved citrus juice and a drizzle of oil; season with salt and pepper. Slice duck on top of herbs, allowing drippings to mingle with them to create a sauce. Transfer beet-grapefruit salad and duck to a platter; spoon herb sauce over top, sprinkle with microgreens, and serve.