PASTRAMI-SPICED DUCK BREAST REUBEN

Pastrami-Spiced Duck Breast Reuben image

I first tasted pastrami-spiced, smoked duck breast about 15 years ago, and ever since I've wondered how it would be used in a classic Reuben sandwich. I never got around to actually trying it, but this is close, and I'm going to say, way, way better.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Game Meats Duck

Time 8h40m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

2 skin-on, boneless duck breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chopped green cabbage
2 tablespoons Russian salad dressing, or more to taste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, or as needed
2 slices rye bread
¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese

Steps:

Cut shallow slashes diagonally across the fat-side of each duck breast to create cross-hatch marks.
Whisk 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon black pepper, coriander, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl until a wet-rub consistency. Rub spice mixture onto all sides of duck breasts. Set duck into bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
Pat excess rub off of duck with paper towels. Season on all sides with kosher salt.
Whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl until creamy and smooth. Toss cabbage and Russian dressing together in a separate bowl.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook duck, skin-side down, in hot skillet until skin is crispy and caramelized, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, flip ducks breasts, and cook until pink in the middle and meat springs back when touched, about 5 minutes more. Remove to a plate to rest. Pour rendered duck fat from the skillet through a strainer into a bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place bread in skillet and cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Flip bread slices and cook until toasted on the other side, about 1 minute more. Sprinkle cheese on each piece of bread, flip slices, and cook until cheese is melted and crisped, about 30 seconds.
Slice each duck breasts into 5 pieces. Place each piece of toast on a plate and top with sliced duck breasts. Drizzle Dijon mustard mixture over the top and serve with cabbage.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1035.5 calories, Carbohydrate 34.4 g, Cholesterol 133.5 mg, Fat 86 g, Fiber 6.6 g, Protein 32.3 g, SaturatedFat 17.3 g, Sodium 2872.5 mg, Sugar 7.9 g