It’s quite exciting to be able to give a chef some Olson’s Cherries and have him or her create a fabulous dish. Dennis Iczkowski of The Palace in Sunnyvale created this delicious Duck salad using Bing, Royal Ann and Rainier Cherries. It’s quite refreshing on a hot summer day.

Duck Seasoning:

Ingredients

dried thyme (1 part)
cracked black pepper (1 part)
ground allspice (½ part)
juniper berries (½ part)
coriander (½ part)
fresh ginger (1 part)
salt (1 part)

Directions

To prepare the duck legs: Grind up the seasonings and rub onto the legs. Slow roast them in a roasting pan with a little bit of oil on the bottom of the pan (to prevent sticking) in a 300° F oven for 3 hours. Finish cooking them on the barbeque to get that smoky taste.

The Salad:

Ingredients

3 cups Pitted fresh Olson’s Cherries.
Mixed greens, arugula, and spinach, or salad of your choice.
Fresh orange sections and orange zest from one orange.

The Dressing: (can be made ahead of time)

Ingredients

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup sherry vinegar
3 medium size roasted shallots
1 head roasted garlic
1 tbs. diced ginger
6 fresh scallions, ½ bunch chives, thyme and Italian parsley
3 oz. fresh orange juice
2 oz. fresh lemon juice
any remaining Cherry juice or wine from fresh or dried Cherries
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Toss the salad with dressing and fresh pitted Cherries. Top off each plate with a warm Duck leg.

Makes 6 Servings. 6-12 Duck legs. (depending on the appetites)
Barbequed Chicken would work.