Duck, rice, mushroom and orange salad recipe

In this attractive salad, full-flavoured shiitake and Swiss brown mushrooms are combined with slices of tender grilled duck, juicy orange segments, crunchy water chestnuts and rice, with a fresh ginger and honey dressing.

From Healthy One-Dish Cooking

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Duck, rice, mushroom and orange salad Photo: From Reader's Digest

Ingredients for duck, rice, mushroom and orange salad

1⁄2 cup (250 g) basmati and wild rice, rinsed

400 g boneless duck breasts, skinned

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

125 g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced

125 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

3 oranges 1 pomegranate

230 g can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced

50 g lamb’s lettuce or baby salad leaves

GINGER AND HONEY DRESSING

1⁄2 teaspoon orange zest and 1 tablespoon orange juice (from 1 of the oranges)

25 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

11⁄2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Preparation for duck, rice, mushroom, and orange salad

1. Cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling water for 12–15 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until tender. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron, ridged grill pan. Brush the duck breasts on both sides with 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil, then cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side, or longer for medium or well-done. (If you don’t have a ridged grill pan, cook the duck under a medium grill.) Transfer the duck to a board and leave to cool. Brush the pan with half of the remaining oil and add half the mushrooms. Cook for 3–5 minutes until tender, turning occasionally. Remove and set aside, then repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms.

3. Grate 1⁄2 teaspoon of zest from 1 of the oranges and set aside for the dressing. Cut away all the peel and pith from the 3 oranges, then, cutting between and close to the membranes, remove the segments, holding the fruit over a bowl to catch the juices. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the juice for the dressing.

4. Cut the pomegranate in half and carefully remove the seeds, leaving the pith behind. Add half the pomegranate seeds to the rice with the orange segments, mushrooms, water chestnuts and lamb’s lettuce or salad leaves.

5. To make the dressing, whisk together the orange zest and juice, ginger, mustard, honey and walnut oil in a small bowl. Season to taste. Add 1 tablespoon of dressing to the rice mixture, toss well, then transfer to a serving platter. Thinly slice the duck and arrange over the rice. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and sprinkle with the remaining pomegranate seeds just before serving.