Make this recipe your own by substituting the Canada goose breasts with duck or venison meat. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
December 12, 2016
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
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I love wild game with a nice salad. The balance of boldly flavored waterfowl served with a sweet, salty and vinegary salad is such a simple yet elegant way to enjoy the taste of game.
This Canada goose salad is served with fresh spring mix lettuce with crisp apples, crumbled blue cheese for that extra salty, tangy bite, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I've always been told that the flavor profile of red meat works well with sweet, dark fruits such as blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries. But once you taste this balsamic vinaigrette, you'll love how the rich, dark grape vinegar brings out the flavor of your game. This salad is awesome with duck, venison, elk, moose or antelope as well.
It amazes me how ridiculously expensive a good salad costs at restaurants. You can make delicious salads at home without breaking the bank, but a good salad does require some attention detail, quality ingredients, and a decent palate. Balance is the key – add ingredients that play off and complement each other in taste. Don't overcook your proteins. And remember to skip the iceberg lettuce. Nobody wants to eat that watery, cheap stuff.
Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients:
2 large or 4 small Canada goose breasts Kosher salt Freshly cracked pepper 1 large package prewashed spring salad mix 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 crisp apples, cored and cubed Red onion, thinly sliced Crumbled blue cheese White sugar, optional The balsamic vinaigrette helps bring out the flavor of the wild game. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo) Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:
¼ cup (good quality) balsamic vinegar ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon coarse ground mustard 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit preserves according to your preference ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons of brown sugar ¼ teaspoon salt Directions:
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Take goose breast out of the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking. Meanwhile, combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar. Shake to emulsify and then set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Letting the goose rest for an hour prior to cooking allows it to cook evenly once it hits the pan. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo) Remove any silver skin from breasts. Remove any shot and feathers. Wash under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear breasts for 2 minutes on each side, or until you get a nice brown crust. Then turn breasts onto the thick side and sear for another minute. Place skillet in a preheated 350-degree oven and finish cooking goose for 4-7 minutes for medium rare. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of breasts; use the finger test to check for doneness. Allow goose to rest for 5 minutes, covered in foil, before cutting into them. Searing the goose breast on each side will create a nice brown crust. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo) To prepare the salad, combine spring mix salad in a large bowl with apples and red onion. Shake the mason jar of vinaigrette again and toss desired amount into salad. Taste salad – add more salt and/or white sugar as necessary; you want a nice balance of sweet, salty and acidity. Arrange salad onto plates and sprinkle with blue cheese on top. Slice goose breast thinly against the grain and arrange pieces on top of salad. Drizzle more vinaigrette onto the meat. Serve immediately. Top the salad with a blue cheese crumbles on top. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
