While it's cold and grey in England, the Perigord is still experiencing summer. The nights are now cold enough that fans are no longer a necessity, and blankets are slowly returning to beds that were draped in little more than a sheet all summer, but at meal times it's still nearly too hot to eat. Nearly. In such circumstances, there's only one thing for it - a substantial and filling salad. The local specialty features gesiers de canard, and is the perfect recipe to dust off for dinner at this time of year. The recipe below (from TraditionalFrenchFood.com) shows Salade Périgourdine at its most basic. If you're feeling flush, you can add slices of foie gras, or bits of duck confit, to make it a show-off meal.
2 crisp and crunchy lettuces
walnut oil
cooked or preserved duck giblets (gesiers de canard) sliced
50g or 2oz of bread cut into small cubes
125g or 4oz of shelled, chopped walnuts
a splash of wine vinegar
1. Wash and break up the lettuce, put into a salad bowl in readiness.
2. Put some of the walnut oil into a frying pan and fry the giblets for 2-3 mins.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry till crunchy and golden.
4. Add the walnuts and turn up the heat for a few seconds.
5 Add a splash of wine vinegar and stir the mixture together.
6. Pour the hot mixture over the lettuce and serve.
Serves 4-6 people.
2 crisp and crunchy lettuces
walnut oil
cooked or preserved duck giblets (gesiers de canard) sliced
50g or 2oz of bread cut into small cubes
125g or 4oz of shelled, chopped walnuts
a splash of wine vinegar
1. Wash and break up the lettuce, put into a salad bowl in readiness.
2. Put some of the walnut oil into a frying pan and fry the giblets for 2-3 mins.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry till crunchy and golden.
4. Add the walnuts and turn up the heat for a few seconds.
5 Add a splash of wine vinegar and stir the mixture together.
6. Pour the hot mixture over the lettuce and serve.
Serves 4-6 people.