Duck Breast and Green Mango Salad with Sesame-Mint Dressing

Chef Dario Pineda-Gutierrez,
Café Dario

Firm, green-skinned mangoes offer tart contrast to the sweet berries and herbaceous dressing. Basting the duck adds dimension to this hearty salad.

Ingredients
Dressing
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup sushi vinegar
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salad
2 boneless duck breasts
2 Tbsp honey
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp tequila
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
2 unripened mangoes, peeled and sliced
1 cup seasonal berries
1/2 cup roasted cashews
4 cups mixed greens

Method
Dressing

1. In a blender, pulse all ingredients.

Salad

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, add honey, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Reduce to 1/3 of its volume. Add tequila and chill.
3.  Score duck breast skin in a criss-cross pattern. In a frying pan, sear over medium-high heat for 3-4 mins. Move to oven and cook for 7 mins.
4. Remove duck from oven and baste with honey mixture. Return to oven and cook for 3 more mins. Allow to rest for a few mins and slice into 1/8″-thick slices.
5. Chill.
6. Toss greens, berries and oranges with dressing. Arrange on plate with duck and slices of mango. Drizzle with honey reduction and sprinkle with cashews.

Yield 4 servings