Slow-Roasted Duck and Lobster BLT Sandwich
Recipes provided by Chef David Banks from Chef Harry’s Savoy Grill
SLOW-ROASTED DUCK, HOT PEPPER JELLY SANDWICH
Recipe for 4 sandwiches
1 # duck leg and thigh, confit (recipe attached)
2 C charred onions ( recipe attached)
3 oz hot pepper jelly (recipe attached)
½ C cashew butter (recipe attached)
8 ea slices multigrain (sliced sandwich style), toasted
8 ea long toothpicks for securing sandwich
For the duck confit:
(will need 1 gallon of peanut oil)
6# duck leg and thigh
½ C soy
1 C brown sugar
1 C sambal olek
4 T kosher salt
10 cloves garlic
4 oz fresh ginger (sliced)
Rub the dug leg with soy and spices. Place in roasting pan, cover with oil. Cover pan with tin foil or tight fitting lid and roast in oven at 300ºF for 4 hours or until very tender. When the duck is finished cooking (the leg bone should be easy to pull away from the meat), remove from oil (reserve the oil for another confit). Warm is the best way to remove the meat and skin from the leg bone. Pick the meat off the bone; do not shred it, leave it a little chunky (some will naturally shred). Make sure there are no bones or skin. Sprinkle a little more salt over the meat, to taste.
For the hot pepper jelly:
2 C sugar
2 C water
1/3 C sambal olek (chili garlic paste, available at Asian grocery stores)
1 oz sherry wine (optional)
1 oz sherry wine vinegar
2 ea ice cubes
Combine sugar and water in medium-sized sauce pot over medium-high flame. Cook mixture until it becomes golden brown (caramel in color). Remove from heat and carefully add the sambal olek all at once, stirring in using long-handled spoon (it will foam and splatter as it hits the caramel). Add the sherry and sherry vinegar the same careful way. Add the ice cubes; this helps stop or slow the caramel from continuing to cook in its own heat. Let stand at room temperature (no need to refrigerate). As it cools, check that it doesn’t thicken to rock-hard. If it is too hard and while it is still pliable, add a touch more liquid. It should be a little thicker than syrup; adjust flavor with sambal olek and sherry vinegar.
For the cashew butter:
Yield: 3 ½ cups
5 oz roasted cashews
5 oz roasted peanuts
6 T honey
6 oz butter
4 T water (warm)
Pinch salt
Using a food processor, purée cashews, peanuts and honey until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt, add butter and blend until smooth. Blend in water and just a touch more salt. Store in refrigerator, but let soften to room temperature before spreading generously on toasted multigrain bread.
For the charred onions:
Peel and slice onion in quarter-inch thick rings; coat the onions with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Grill the onions until tender and a touch charred. Remove the onions to a bowl and splash a little sherry wine vinegar on them. Let stand at room temperature for final assembly of the sandwich.
For assembly of sandwich:
Place generous portion (4 oz) of duck confit in a small casserole, drizzle some hot pepper jelly over the duck, place a generous portion of charred onions (1/2 C) on top of duck and heat in oven (375ºF) for 5 minutes or until very hot. Toast the multigrain bread, spread generously with cashew butter. Sandwich the duck and onion between the bread, cut cross corner and serve.
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LOBSTER “BLT”
Recipe for 4 sandwiches
6 ea lobster tails (4 oz cold water Maine tail)
½ C pesto mayonnaise (recipe attached)
8 slices brioche (sliced sandwich style, thick), toasted
8 leaves Bibb lettuce
8 slices vine-ripe tomato (sliced ½ inch thick)
12 slices sliced bacon (Applewood smoked or other good quality bacon), cooked
8 ea long toothpicks for securing sandwich
2 oz whole butter (for final heating of lobster at assembly)
To taste salt and pepper (to season lobster)
Pesto Mayonnaise for Lobster BLT
Yields 1 ½ cups
¼ C onion (rough chop)
4 ea garlic cloves (peeled, rough chop)
¼ C celery heart
2 C fresh basil leaves (washed)
1 C fresh Italian parsley leaves (washed)
¼-1/3 C olive oil
¼ C pinenuts (toasted)
Toast pinenuts and let cool completely. Using a food processor, place onion, garlic, basil, parsley and celery heart in the processor. Pulse these ingredients until they combine well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the processor, pulse a few more times, add oil, pulse until just under smooth in texture. Add the pinenuts, pulse until chopped fine but still visible.
Add this pesto to mayonnaise (approximately 2 cups) or to your desired taste. Use this as the spread for the toasted brioche.
Method of preparation and assembly for Lobster BLT:
Cook the lobster tails whole in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from water and place in ice water to stop the cooking. Gather all of your products to make the sandwiches: bacon, tomato, Bibb lettuce, pesto mayonnaise, brioche.
Cut the lobster tails in half (leave in shell) and heat in a sauté pan or oven with some water, whole butter, and salt and pepper. When lobster is cooked just through, remove meat from shell. Assemble the sandwich toast, pesto mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, bacon, lobster. Secure with picks, cut corner to corner.
