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Grilled Swordfish Club

GRILLED SWORDFISH CLUB

AVOCADO, LEMON MAYONNAISE

This was on Bar Americain’s lunch menu on opening day, and in the years since then it’s become a staple for the lunch crowd. I first started serving a swordfish club at Mesa Grill years ago, and its popularity prompted me to redesign the sandwich with a more distinctly American feel. Creamy avocado slices add a nice touch of richness to the lean, meaty swordfish. Juicy tomato, peppery watercress, and a fresh lemony mayonnaise complete this vibrant sandwich. Serve with Barbecued Potato Chips and pickled carrots and okra if desired.

Serves 4

4 (6-ounce) swordfish fillets

2 tablespoons canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 (½-inch-thick) slices Pullman or other good-quality white sandwich bread

Lemon Mayonnaise

1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and each half cut into 6 slices

1 ripe beefsteak tomato, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 bunch of watercress, chopped

1. Preheat the grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the fish on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and let rest for a few minutes.

2. Grill the bread on both sides until lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Lay the slices of bread on a flat surface and spread each slice with a tablespoon of the mayonnaise. Place a fillet on 4 of the slices of bread and top with 3 slices avocado, 1 slice tomato, and some watercress. Place the remaining slices of bread on top of the watercress, mayonnaise side down.

LEMON MAYONNAISE

Makes ½ cup

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the mayonnaise, zest, and juice in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. The lemon mayonnaise can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.

PULLED BARBECUED DUCK SANDWICH

COLESLAW, SPICY PICKLES

This is an obvious play on the southern pulled pork sandwich, which is typically made with braised pork shoulder. Duck legs are an interesting upgrade. While duck breasts are best cooked quickly and served rare, the legs need to be slow-cooked to make them tender. I believe in employing strong flavors such as fresh ginger, star anise, fennel, and cinnamon to cut through the richness of duck. The pickles and coleslaw are optional, but I can’t imagine having a pulled pork—or, in this case, pulled duck—sandwich without them. That crunchy, vinegary bit of freshness truly rounds out the sandwich.

Serves 4 to 6

Duck

10 skinless duck legs (about 5 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1¼ cups Bar Americain Barbecue Sauce or store-bought barbecue sauce

3 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

6 cloves

2 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

Coleslaw

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon celery seeds

½ teaspoon celery salt

½ head napa cabbage, finely shredded

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 brioche buns, split and lightly toasted

Spicy Pickles (optional)

1. To cook the duck, preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper on both sides and brush with ¾ cup of the barbecue sauce. Grill the legs until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

3. Put the stock in a medium roasting pan, add the remaining ½ cup barbecue sauce, the onion, ginger, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns and season with salt. Arrange the duck legs in the pan, cover with foil, and braise in the oven until the meat is tender and falling off