Curried Chicken & Mango Salad

I came across this recipe in the May 2012 issue of Good Food magazine and I just couldn't wait to try it. Mango! Curry! Chicken! Sesame seeds! All things I love, love, love to eat and it was everything it promised to be - light and delicious, spicy and exotically flavour-some. Don't just take my word for it though - give it a go and try it for yourself!

Serves: 2 as a main dish, or 4 as a starter.

Ingredients


6 chicken mini fillets
1tsp olive oil
2tsp curry powder (I used a hot curry powder)
4tbsp natural yoghurt
2tbsp mango chutney
zest and juice of half a lime
1 Little Gem lettuce (I actually used Cos as that's what the shop had), leaves separated
1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced
half a red onion, finely sliced
2tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with tinfoil. Toss the chicken fillets in the oil and 1tsp of the curry powder, making sure that they're evenly coated. Place on the baking tray and bake for 20 mins or until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly and then slice.
2. Meanwhile, combine the rest of the curry powder in a bowl with the yoghurt, chutney and lime zest and juice.
3. To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on your plates. Top with the sliced mango and chicken. Scatter over the red onion slices, drizzle with the dressing and then scatter with the sesame seeds.
4. Enjoy!

Green Duck Salad

I normally prefer meat well-done but having tried this cooked medium I have to say I really wouldn't cook it any other way now. Give it a try yourself, the meat is meltingly tender.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 duck breast fillet
half teaspoon ground coriander
1 shallot, very finely chopped
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
340g seedless green grapes, about a handful of which are halved
2 good big handfuls of mixed watercress, rocket, baby spinach leaves
2 green pears, cored and finely sliced

Method

1. Remove skin and fat from duck by pulling fatty layer back and cutting it from the meat with a small, sharp knife.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper and the coriander and use to season duck breast and set aside.
3. Place fatty layer, skin side down, in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until you've cooked off as much liquid fat as you can. Keep 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and discard the rest (or keep for other uses). Discard the skin.
4. Raise heat to high and place duck breast in pan to sear, about 3 minutes.
5. Add shallots, turn duck breast and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until duck is medium (rosy in centre). Transfer duck to small plate and cover with foil.
7. Raise heat again to high, add 125ml water, balsamic vinegar and whole grapes to pan, and stir to scrape up any crispy, browned bits on bottom.
8. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
9. Slice duck on bias into thin slices. Pour any resting juices into the pan.
10. Arrange salad leaves in a bowl and top with alternating layers of pear and duck. Pour grape sauce over, scatter with grape halves, and stir through quickly.
11. Serve. Eat. Enjoy!