 With a fridge and larder full of food, Peter and I decided to skip our usual Saturday morning visit to the Capital Region Farmer's Market, choosing instead to hibernate indoors and create a gourmet brunch from ingredients we had at hand. Last weekend we bought a flavoursome smoked duck breast from Pialligo Farm, a boutique smokehouse run by Peter Curry and Charlie Costelloe at Pialligo Estate Winery, near the Canberra Airport. Thanks to the kind generosity of Anne and Denzil Sturgiss, we also had a beautifully aromatic black truffle to play with. And my wonderful friend Len Mancini, a citrus grower in the Riverina, kindly sent us a box of blood oranges fresh from his farm. We had plenty of aragula and baby spinach leaves, and in the freezer walnuts grown by a family in the Victorian high country. A quick consult with my chef friend, Adam Moore, and brunch was underway. One thing I have never quite grasped is the ability to plate up decoratively like a chef. Adam tells me it's easy enough to learn and perhaps one day, Adam, you can teach me, please. In the meantime, does it really matter? Probably not. But did the salad taste superb and would we make it again? Absolutely! SMOKED DUCK BREAST SALAD WITH BLOOD ORANGE, WALNUT & TRUFFLE 150g smoked duck breast, thinly slicedaragula and baby spinach leaves, washed and patted dry, for the base 2 small blood oranges, peeled and segmented 1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted shaved black truffle, to garnish For the dressing (combine): 2 tablespoons low salt soy or tamari sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons blood orange juice Arrange the salad leaves on the plate, followed by the duck breast, orange slices and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over the top and then shave the truffle over as a garnish. Serves 2. Using ingredients we had at hand... A gourmet brunch is created...  A reminder that there is still time to enter my Truffle giveaway. Thanks to the HUGE generosity of Anne and Denzil Sturgiss at Tarago Truffles, and to celebrate the Canberra and Capital Region Truffle Festival, one lucky reader of Bizzy Lizzy's GOOD THINGS will WIN a fine quality 50 gram truffle! To enter, simply pop in to my Truffle Hunt post here and tell me why you would like to win and how you would cook with the truffle if you did win it.
33 Comments
As I was reading this post I thought that I'd never actually tasted truffle, and how I need that to change! As to what I'd do with it, I have no idea at all as I've never seen one let alone cooked with one! I would have to research it :)
Lizzy
13/7/2013 12:56:57 pm
Hi Janie! Truffles are quite exciting.... I wonder if they are available fresh in your area? The competition is on my Truffle Hunt post... unfortunately it is only open to Australian readers.... would love to post a tiny truffle to you if I could! I'm sure you must be able to source them in your part of the world ; ) 13/7/2013 08:06:01 am
Lovely salad! I haven't had duck, much less smoked duck, in ages. Definitely something I should do in the fall or winter. What a well stocked larder you have! Great flavors in this salad, and it looks wonderful. Although I do know what you mean about not being able to plate the way restaurant chefs can - that's a trick I haven't learned either. Anyway, fun post - thanks.
Lizzy
13/7/2013 12:58:04 pm
Thank you, John... this salad was a cracker.... the combination of flavours really, really good, especially with the blood orange, which seemed to cut the fat of the duck. Thanks for stopping by. 13/7/2013 11:50:26 am
Oh I love duck and smoked duck especially, so lush and flavoursome! What a great dish :)
Lizzy
13/7/2013 12:58:45 pm
Thanks GG! I am not a huge fan of duck to be completely honest, but we tasted this smoked duck breast at the farmer's market and loved it!
Lizzy
13/7/2013 12:59:11 pm
Thanks, Celia. It is and we will definitely be revisiting this salad! 13/7/2013 01:18:22 pm
I love smoked duck in a salad. Add in the truffle and that lovely dressing and I'd be in heaven!
Lizzy
13/7/2013 01:45:45 pm
Ah, Maureen, a beautiful description. Must admit, this salad is very very good! 13/7/2013 04:12:42 pm
Wow Lizzie...this looks terrific. Duck is not a normal part of our menu but I'm certainly craving it a bit now and...don't tell but I've NEVER had anything with truffles. It's true. It must also change!
Lizzy
13/7/2013 04:15:22 pm
Hi Barbara, we very rarely eat duck, either. Sometimes, not often, we buy a half roasted duck from a good Chinese place up the road and make pancakes. This was the first piece of smoked duck breast that we've ever bought. Peter is now keen to try smoking it ourselves... which could be interesting! Thanks for stopping by. 13/7/2013 04:30:08 pm
You had some beautiful ingredients on hand Lizzy. This looks like a perfect impromptu brunch! I think your 'plate up' is lovely too. Happy Sunday x
Lizzy
14/7/2013 12:40:36 pm
Jane, thanks so much. We were really looking forward to trying the duck at home, having tasted it at the market. Chef Adam gave me some great ideas. Happy cooking xo
Eha
13/7/2013 04:39:37 pm
Oh my, all of a sudden a perfectly pleasant Sunday lunch of a marinated grilled pork 1/4 quarter and steamed broccoli seems to pale into total insignificance :) ! This is lovely and I liked the link to Pialligo Farm to which I have already subscribed . . .a good Sunday to you, milady!!!
Lizzy
14/7/2013 12:41:09 pm
Oh no, your pork lunch sounds wonderful! Have a great week too : ) 14/7/2013 01:48:19 am
WOW, what an incredibly decadent salad!
Lizzy
14/7/2013 12:41:23 pm
It was delicious, Mandy! xo 14/7/2013 04:33:59 pm
With such amazing ingredients you would be mad indeed to go out to eat! I'm so jealous, it looks amazing :)
Lizzy
15/7/2013 10:01:07 am
Indeed, Bec. No sense buying more food when there's plenty at home... although we do both love our Saturday mornings at the market. : ) 16/7/2013 04:16:54 am
After reading about your truffle hunting and now this delectable salad with truffles... you had me salivating. I bought a little truffle nugget... a 30 Canadian Dollar one - about a one person portion in a pasta, at the market Saturday. We will share it in an appetizer or something diving. This recipe is exotic and stunning.
Lizzy
18/7/2013 05:31:26 pm
Oh well done you, Valerie! How wonderful! I hope you blog your recipe!? xo 17/7/2013 05:13:23 am
What a divine looking salad, Lizzy - you have included so many of my favourite things! Gorgeous.
Lizzy
18/7/2013 05:31:51 pm
Thank you, Christina, mine too... and so delicious! 18/7/2013 03:28:13 am
I can't imagine a more flavorful dish...beautiful!
Lizzy
18/7/2013 05:32:02 pm
Karen, thank you : )
Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:38:45 pm
Yes, Zsuzsa, shake the fridge and the larder! Well worth it sometimes : ) 7/11/2013 02:09:08 am
Yum, Blood Oranges are so sweet- I tried buying some 2 weeks ago (October) and they said they were already out of season in California. Oh well, when I return to Adelaide in several weeks, they might be back in season- thanks for the recipe!
Lizzy
22/7/2014 10:31:41 pm
Hiya Fran! Oh, my pleasure... thank you for stopping by!
Lizzy
22/7/2014 10:31:52 pm
Me too! : ) Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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Photo Jay Cranon, The Canberra Times
Hello. I'm Liz, a writer, cook and traveller based in Canberra, Australia.
Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes, postcards and morsels from my adventures, conversations with cookery writers and chefs, and news on food and cooking.  Search by topicNB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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