Spiced Molasses Duck Breast Salad

Ingredients

Salad dressing and marinade:

• 1/4 cup minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup oil
• 2 pieces star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless Long Island duck breasts, skin scored and excess fat removed

Salad:

• 1 head green curly endive
• 2 heads Belgian endive
• 1/2 pound upland cress, or other baby cress
• 1 cup dried calamata figs, stemmed and quartered
• 1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces

Directions

Whisk salad dressing/marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup and strain for salad dressing. Marinate duck breasts in remainder of dressing/marinade, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours but no longer than overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat large saute pan over medium high heat and cook duck breasts on skin side first until most of fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Turn duck breasts and sear flesh side for 1 minute. Finish in oven and cook until medium rare, about 2 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Clean and tear curly, separate Belgian endive leaves, and clean cress. Toss greens with most of the dressing, figs, and pecans. Cut duck breasts into 6 slices. Place greens in a mound in center of individual plates and arrange the sliced duck breasts around the outside. Drizzle any extra dressing around the plate.