This Recipe includes
Main ingredients:
| Mixed greens (mache, baby spinach, lettuce, etc.) |
| Pieces of gizzard (duck or chicken) |
| (Optional) Parmesan |
| (Optional) Red onion |
| (Optional) Walnuts |
For the salad dressing:
| Olive oil |
| Balsamic vinegar |
Why we love it
The Périgord in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of of France is noted for its cuisine, especially its duck and goose specialities such as confit de canard and foie gras.
With duck being so popular in this part of western France, it stands to reason that one of its namesake dishes is the salade périgordine featuring the duck. (The department next door has a similar salad called the salade Landaise originating from the Landes area which is also famous for its duck specialities.)
But it is not just any part of the duck. The traditional Périgordine recipe involves duck gizzards, which are basically cooked and preserved duck giblets. As such, the Périgord salad is sometimes called the salade des geziers since the cooked gizzards are served on top, along with a bit of crunch such as walnuts, croutons, etc.
If you are a bit concerned about eating gizzards, rest assured that they are quite delicious, almost like bacon but a bit more tender. You can also use smoked duck pieces or duck confit if you don’t have gizzards. These days chicken gizzards have also become relatively popular.
What to serve with it?
You can serve this périgord salad as a light meal along with a bruschetta or a some panisse.
You can also serve it as a starter with a pasta dish like carbonara scallop pasta or a French onion risotto.
What drinks to serve with it?
For drinks, try a red wine from the Sud-Ouest region like a Cahors or Bergerac to keep with the local Perigord theme.
If you don’t like red wine, try a white pouilly fumé from the nearby Loire valley. You can read more about French wines here.
Can you prepare it in advance?
Yes, you can prepare salad périgord in advance, but I would recommend keeping the gizzards, the salad, and the dressing separately. Cook the gizzards until they are almost done, and leave them on a dry paper towel and place them in an airtight glass container.
In addition, keep the salad dressing separately in a bowl in the fridge for a few hours. When ready to serve, heat the gizzards quickly in a pan on the stovetop, and then assemble the salad by combining the dressing and the gizzards.
Similar salad recipes
Périgord salad (Landaise salad) with gizzards
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 oz bag of mixed greens
- 12-16 pieces of gizzard (duck or chicken)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of crushed walnuts (optional)
- 1/2 red onion (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with the salt and pepper.
- In a pan, cook the gizzards at high heat for 5-8 minutes until it looks cooked.
- Chop the onion into small pieces.
- In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens with all the ingredients including the cooked gizzards and dressing.
- Toss the salad to make sure that the dressing coats evenly.
- Serve while the gizzards are warm.
Nutrition
If you enjoyed that, check out our other classic French recipes that are easy to prepare. Bon appétit and à bientôt !
