Seared Fig, Apple and Pear Salad with Smoked Duck and White Balsamic Vinegar
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Medium
Serves 4 people
It's a treat when figs start to appear in the autumn so it's worth making the most of them whilst you can. This is a very easy salad to put together, yet still satisfying to eat, as there's a good contrast of textures and flavours. White Balsamic Vinegar has a similar level of sweetness to regular balsamic, but with a more delicate flavour. The bitter dandelion is a good foil to all the sweet flavours but if you can't find any, use rocket or watercress instead.
Ingredients
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4 ripe figs, cut in half
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1 green apple
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1 crunchy pear, such as Williams or Comice
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Salt and pepper
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100g dandelion leaves, washed and dried
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1.5 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
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3 tbsp Early Harvest olive oil
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60g smoked duck breast, thinly sliced
Method
- Step 0: Combine the vinegar and almost all of the oil in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Step 1: Cut the apple in half lengthways and then again into quarters. Remove the core and then thinly slice each quarter lengthways. Set aside and then repeat with the pear.
- Step 2: Place a medium frying pan on a medium heat and once hot, add a little of the olive oil and then place the figs in the pan, flesh side down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the flesh has started to colour, turn over and then turn the heat off.
- Step 3: Place the apple, pear and dandelion into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and then dress with White Balsamic and Olive Oil, reserving some for the figs. Taste for seasoning and then arrange on the centre of a plate. Place the figs on top, drizzle with the remainder of the dressing and then place the slice of sliced duck randomly on top of the different fruits.
