Salad of beetroot, pear and endive with smoked duck breast

Celebrity chef

Saturday 9 February 2013

This is a salad for those with an adventurous palate, encompassing earthy sweetness (from the beetroots), a juicier sweetness (from the pear) and bitterness (the endives) rounded off with smokiness from the duck.

Photograph: Alan Donaldson

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Martin Wishart

To emphasise the flavours still more, the salad is dressed with rich hazelnut oil and balsamic vinegar.

Beets are sometimes misunderstood, probably due to being predominantly sold already cooked and vacuum-packed. I far prefer them oven-roasted in tinfoil, as this method contributes more sweetness. They come in a rainbow of colours – the most common being purple, pink, white and golden – and, as a rule of thumb, the smaller they are, the sweeter they will be.

If duck isn't to your taste then use a good-quality smoked ham or some smoked chicken. It's the smokiness that matters most, so spend a little more money than usual if you want maximum impact.Salad of beetroot, pear and endive with smoked duck breastServes 62 small red beetroots2 small golden beetroots4tbsp hazelnut oil2tbsp balsamic vinegarsalt and a little freshly ground white pepper 1 ripe pear2 small trimmed endives1tsp chopped chives24 thin slices of smoked duck breastSet the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Wash the beets under cold running water then wrap each one in a piece of tinfoil. Place them in a large oven dish and cook in the oven for 90 minutes to two hours, depending on their size. When cooked, you should be able to pass a small knife through the centre of the beets without any resistance.Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a large bowl then add a pinch of salt and a little freshly ground white pepper.Once the beets are cool, remove the skins and cut each into small, even wedges. Peel the pear and chop it into thin matchsticks. Trim the endives and break them into individual leaves. If they are particularly large, then cut them in half.Toss the beets, endives, chives and dressing together and check the seasoning.Spread the salad on a large platter. Arrange the pear on top, place the slices of duck over the salad and serve.The Honours, 58a North Castle Street, Edinburgh. Visit thehonours.co.uk or call 0131 220 2513.A juicy, intensely dark fleurie made from 100% gamay with hints of violet.La Chapelle Des Bois, Fleurie 2011, Domaine Dutraive, Beaujolais (Raeburn Fine Wines, £14)

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Salad of beetroot, pear and endive with smoked duck breast

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