Perfect Beluga Lentil Salad with Duck Breast
·Prepare the pumpkin
Wash the hokkaido pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and slice it. There's no need to peel it. Season the slices with salt and pepper on both sides and grill them on an electric grill. Alternatively, arrange them on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven.
Cook the lentils
Cook the lentils in salted water according to the package instructions. They'll need about 20 minutes.
Prepare the duck breasts
Rinse the duck breasts, pat them dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200°C and get a small roasting dish with a lid, or an ovenproof dish with a lid, ready.
Heat the pan
Heat a pan and add a drizzle of oil — just a little, since the duck skin will release plenty of fat on its own, so there's no need to overdo it with the oil. Just enough so the pan isn't completely dry.
Sear the breasts
Place the duck breasts skin-side down in the hot pan. Sear on this side for about 5 to 6 minutes, keeping the heat not quite at full so the skin doesn't burn. Turn and sear the other side for another 4 minutes — no longer, or the meat will dry out and turn tough.
Finish in the oven
After searing, transfer the meat to the ovenproof dish. Cover with the lid or foil and place in the preheated oven. Leave it there for about 6 minutes. This step is for anyone who likes their duck juicy and tender — it makes the breasts noticeably softer.
Let it rest
Take the cooked duck breasts out of the oven and let them rest in the dish while you finish preparing the rest of the dish.
Prepare the salad base
Drain the cooked lentils and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the grilled or roasted pumpkin cut into pieces, the juicy red pomegranate seeds and chopped hazelnuts. Mix well and taste — you may want to add a pinch more salt and pepper.
Add the duck
Slice the rested duck breasts. Pour the pan drippings from the roasting dish over the lentil salad and stir through.
Serve
Serve in a bowl or on a plate, with the salad topped with the sliced duck breast.
