The Cat and Duck Breast Salad

"A woman's hat should never panic the cat."

I believe this quote is from P.J. O'Rourke, not quite sure who that is, but it got me to thinking about what might panic the cat.  Perhaps lots of feathers, or even the whole bird tacked onto the front of the hat.  Judy Garland wears a bird on her hat in "The Good Old Summertime" which is accidentally knocked off when she collides with Van Johnson and creates quite a fuss. In the Lucia series that I have talked about recently, Mrs. Wise can't let go of her dead parakeet so she puts it on her hat. She didn't attach it very well and at dinner one day it fell into her soup.  That might panic the cat.

Or a duck on your hat.  What would the cat think of that.  I am starting to sound like Doctor Seuss, so let's just think of duck, as in breast.  I had a serious craving for warm duck breast salad and yesterday I satisfied that craving.  Also on the salad, baby turnips and those cute round carrots.

Duck Breast Salad

Serves two 


1 duck breast, remove the tenderloin, save for another dish

1 bunch round carrots, cut into quarters
1 bunch baby turnips, cut into quarters
1 tbs. butter
2 big handfuls of assorted baby lettuces
juice of a small lemon

Score the fatty skin on the duck breast in a criss-cross pattern. Cook in a hot cast iron pan fat side down first, about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is browned. Turn and finish cooking on the other side, another 4-5 minutes, you want it a bit rare.  Remove to a board to rest before slicing. While the duck is cooking steam the carrots and turnips until tender.  The carrots take a little longer, so start them first and in a couple of minutes add the turnips. Put them in a bowl with a tbs. of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Mix to coat with the butter.

Make a warm dressing by using the rendered fat in the pan from the duck, de-glaze with the lemon juice.  Slice the duck breast, arrange on the lettuces with the steamed vegetables and pour the warm dressing over.


So simple to prepare, so satisfying and as my husband said, so delicious! And no cats were panicked.

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