This recipe takes an ordinary sandwich and makes it worthy of an excellent wine pairing! It comes from Chad Hendrickson, Executive Chef for The Hess Collection. A special thank you to The Hess Collection for sponsoring this post.
Sandwiches are casual. When we don’t want to have a fancy meal or invest too much time in the kitchen, we go for a sandwich.
They are convenient and familiar, but many lean a little towards boring and monotonous. That is, until you start considering whether the lowly sandwich could possibly pair with wine. Not just any wine, but a syrah that boasts black and blue fruits with a subtle touch of spiced vanilla and cedar. Before you know it, you have a duck breast sandwich on your hands that also happens to be layered with bacon and Cambozola cheese.
It brings a whole new definition to the thought of just going for a sandwich, doesn’t it?
The Hess Collection recently asked me to make and share a recipe created by their Executive Chef, Chad Hendrickson. A recipe that was perfectly paired with The Hess Collection Small Block Series 2012 Napa Valley Syrah. With notes of cloves, anise and vanilla, this wine could not be a better pick for the holiday season, nor a better option to pair with duck.
This wasn’t my first encounter with Hess, or with the delicious creations by Chef Hendrickson. A couple years back, I had the pleasure of attending a nutrition and research event for media by the Peanut Institute. Our first meal of the event was hosted at Hess where we were able to do a tasting, view the art gallery and enjoy a peanut-inspired meal paired with Hess wines. Through that experience, and now some work with them through a client, Hess is teaching me a lot about the wines and appellations of Napa Valley.
And now this recipe is teaching me a bit about wine pairings. Including that a sandwich can be anything but casual.
Yes, you will need to cook some duck breast, but don’t be intimidated by that if you are new to it. It’s not unlike chicken and we are moving into the time of year where duck is easier to find at the market.
You’ll also need some roasted garlic cloves for the mayo. To make these, I just cut the top third off a head of garlic, set it on a large piece of foil, drizzle it with olive oil and then wrap the foil around it. Place in a 400 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. I usually do this while I’m baking other things. When cooled, you can squeeze the head of garlic from the bottom and roasted cloves will pop right out.
Once all the ingredients are prepped, clubs couldn’t be easier to put together. Just stack as the recipe instructs and cut each sandwich into halves or quarter triangles to serve. With the rich duck and Cambozola cheese paired with the spiced, fruit-forward wine, this club sandwich is a meal that has fall written all over it.
- 8 ea. duck breast, boneless, skin on
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 roasted garlic cloves, peeled, mashed
- 4 oz. mayonnaise
- 12 slices bread
- 4 butter lettuce leaves
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 8 applewood smoked bacon slices, cooked
- 4 oz. Cambozola cheese, sliced 1⁄4” thick, approximately 12 slices
- Using a sharp knife, gently score the skin of the duck, being careful not to cut through to the meat. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Heat a sauté pan over low heat, add olive oil, then place the duck breast skin side down in the pan. Let cook on low for 10 -15 minutes until the skin has rendered and become golden brown and crisp. Remove duck breast from pan, pour off excess grease. Place pan back over medium high heat, add the duck breast, meat side down. Cook duck for 5 minutes or until medium rare to medium and brown. Set aside and let rest. After the duck has rested for 10 minutes, slice thin.
- Combine the roasted garlic with the mayonnaise. Mix well.
- Toast the bread in a toaster, or under the broiler on both sides.
- On a clean work surface, arrange 3 bread slices in a row, make 4 rows. Spread 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic mayonnaise on 2 slices of bread in each row.
- Place the lettuce leaves on top of the first bread slice with roasted garlic spread. Top with 3 slices of tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 2 pieces of bacon on top of the tomatoes.
- Lay 3 slices of cambozola on top of the slice of bread that does not have mayonnaise. Place under the broiler to warm and slightly melt. Place sliced duck on top of the cambozola. Carefully place this bread slice on top of the tomato layered bread. Cover with the third slice of bread with the roasted garlic spread, spread side down.
- Pin sandwich together with frill or sandwich picks. Cut into 4 triangles.
- Repeat with the remaining rows of bread.
- Pair with 2012 Hess Small Block Series Syrah
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by The Hess Collection. Thoughts are my own, and those thoughts are that this is an outstanding sandwich paired beautifully with an outstanding Syrah.
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Lori, you hit it right out of the park with this one! This sandwich is just so lush and special. I have only recently begun cooking with duck breast and I love it so much–it’s so easy to make and it always makes for such an elegant presentation. Love this sandwich and the photos are awesome!
Thanks, Tracey! Dan is a huge duck fan. I need to experiment more with it.