PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES (PLUS PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME FOR THE PICKLES)

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

SERVES: 4

GLAZED DUCK BÁNH MÌ

I came up with this dish when I was brainstorming ideas with a good friend to create a fresh, slightly different sandwich that would satisfy our taste buds and our stomachs. We ended up with this; a sandwich with succulent duck, creamy pâté, and a sweet element — pickled oranges. I’ve freshened it up with some pickled carrot and daikon which you usually find in a traditional Vietnamese bánh mì. You should start this recipe at least the day before or up to a week ahead, it depends how pickled you like your pickle!

2 teaspoons grapeseed oil

2 duck breasts, about 150 g (5½ oz) each

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice

1 long baguette, cut into four 15 cm (6 inch) lengths, split without cutting all the way through

120 g (4¼ oz) tub Maggie Beer’s Pheasant Farm Pâté

1½ tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise (see note)

¼ cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced

sweet pickled and spiced oranges, pickled cucumber, pickled carrot and pickled daikon, to serve

Once you have your pickles ready to go, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Heat an ovenproof skillet or frying pan over low–medium heat and add the grapeseed oil. Season the duck skin with sea salt and add to the pan skin side down. Cook, without turning, until the skin is golden and crisp and most of the fat has rendered out.

Flip the duck breasts and baste with a mix of the hoisin and five-spice. Place into the oven, skin side up and cook for 4 minutes or until your duck is medium-rare. Remove from the oven and rest for 4 minutes.

Now you can get creative. I like to open the bread and spread with a layer of pâté, then a squirt of mayo, a layer of pickled veg, slices of duck breast, quarters of pickled orange, a few coriander leaves and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chilli. Perfect.

NOTES

∎   The spiced oranges and pickled vegetables can all be made ahead of time.

∎   Kewpie mayonnaise can be found at Asian grocers.