As I’ve mentioned in my two previous posts, 2011 can suck it. Between a broken computer, a root canal and a sprained ankle my year thus far has not had many bright spots (especially culinary bright spots) … until Saturday. The duck prosciutto I started on on Jan 6 was finally ready for a taste.

Before I hung it, I had carefully weighed each of my duck breasts (and done the math) so that I could watch for a 30% drop in weight (a good prediction of finished duck prosciutto). However, after 9 days of (not so) patient waiting they had only lost about 20% of their weight. But, they felt right. I had been squeezing them (gently) every day (sometimes two or three times) and yesterday, they just felt right. So, I decided to take the plunge and unwrap one.

I opened up one of the Herbes do Provence cured breasts, cut off a few thin slices and took a bite. Heaven. Salty with a delicate hint of the herbes and a wonderful texture (though sliced too thick it became a bit chewy). I opened up a second, one of the five-spice cured breasts, for a taste. Also delicious. And though the breasts had only spent 24 hours in their prospective cure, each had definitely picked up a distinct flavor. Though I liked both, the Herbes de Provence is my favorite.

For lunch the next day I decided to create a dish using my yummy duck. I wanted to use the flavors found in a duck prosciutto sandwich that I had seen on Matt Wright’s blog. It featured a fried egg, duck prosciutto and arugula on a baguette, but I wanted a salad instead. (By the way, if you want to see some charcuterie porn, Matt’s blog is the place to look, gorgeous).

I made a mustardy vinaigrette for the arugula, added a little pile of the Herbes de Provence duck prosciutto, a couple of crusty toasts and then topped it all with a 64.5° c sous vide egg (a poached egg would be good too, but the sous vide egg is particularly delicious). So simple but so good. The arugula (with the vinaigrette) combined deliciously with, and helped combat, the richness of the duck and the creamy egg yolk. I could have eaten a whole ‘nother plate.

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PROSCIUTTO, EGG AND ARUGULA SALAD WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
serves 2 (or one really hungry person)

Because this is a dish with very few ingredients, the quality of those ingredients is extremely important. Sub-standard prosciutto and factory-farmed eggs will not provide a tasty finished product. Splurge.

Mustard Vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
really good salt
fresh cracked black pepper

2-3 handfuls arugula
1-2 ounces thin sliced duck prosciutto (ham proscuitto would be good too)
2 eggs
1/4 baguette, sliced thin on the diagonal
olive oil

If you have the ability to cook sous vide, cook two eggs at 64.5° c for 50 minutes. Otherwise, poach two eggs (timing them to be done once the rest of the salad components are complete).

Drizzle the baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper then toast in the oven.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Gently toss the arugula in the dressing and divide it between two plates. Cut several thin slices of prosciutto and add them to each plate next to the arugula. Top arugula with sous vide or poached eggs. Finish the plate with toasted baguette slices.