Eating In: 54 Duck Rolls
So, why shouldn't we jump on the Bangkok 54 bandwagon? The Arlington Thai restaurant is one of the rare few places where a very satisfying two-person dining experience will come in at less than $70. And for you skeptics, no, we didn't leave a Rachael Ray-esque $2.32 tip or refuse to pay sales tax on our several cocktails. Even though it's received more than its fair share of press in recent weeks, we had to pay homage to what we also believe is great spot for Thai.
And so, we settled on recreating their tasty duck spring rolls – not in small part because of how short the shopping list for the dish is. At only nine ingredients, it's perhaps our simplest recipe yet. And if you've ordered Chinese take-out recently, you probably already have the requisite packet of spicy Asian mustard in your fridge! Although Bangkok 54's menu incorrectly cited plum sauce as an ingredient (it's actuallyaka hoisin), the error terminology was only a minor distraction in completing the task at hand. Tender morsels of duck share space with cool cucumber and crunchy green onion. Bangkok 54 ditched the traditional spring roll wrapper for a thin pancake usually paired with roast duck. The result is a substantial appetizer.
Shopping List
1 boneless duck breast
Chinese five-spice powder
Chinese pancakes*
1 cucumber (preferably seedless)
hoisin sauce
spicy Asian-style mustard
1 bunch of green onions
1 egg
neutral frying oil
*If you can’t find Chinese pancakes, a spring roll wrapper or an egg roll wrapper is fine. To make the version pitcured, we opted to use a store-bought egg roll wrapper.
Remove the skin and fat from the duck breast. With a sharp paring knife it should separate cleanly and easily. To keep this dish lighter, you can discard the skin and fat. You might consider however hanging on to what some see as a precious commodity. We decided to slice it into small pieces, render over low heat, and use the resulting oil to cook our duck slices. The aroma and flavor was amazing, but if you’re not into duck fat, a little olive oil will work fine.
With duck fat out of the way, you can concentrate on slicing the breast into thin pieces with a sharp knife. Placing the breast in the freezer for 10 minutes will firm up the flesh making it easier to slice. Season with 1/4-teaspoon of Chinese five-spice powder, a dash of salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Separate the meat into two batches. Sauté the first batch over medium-high heat to cook through. When the meat is cooked, slice it into bite-sized pieces. Repeat with second batch. Return both batches to the pan with any accumulated juices, and a tablespoon of hoisin sauce. Stir to combine, and transfer the duck to a plate to avoid overcooking.
Slice the green onion into matchsticks. Peel the cucumber if the skin is waxy. Seed (if necessary) and slice as thinly as possible into long narrow strips. Using the pictures as a guide, you should stuff your wrappers and seal with a beaten egg. Fry at 350° for 2-3 minutes or until they're golden.
Shaving the end off each spring roll will allow you to stand them on end for an interesting presentation, but it's unnecessary. Make sure you cut them in half on a bias however, which will allow you to slide a single green onion matchstick into each half. The resulting cut is not only pleasing visually, but it also keeps the onion raw and provides a contrasting crunch to the tender duck inside.
This recipe will yield six small spring rolls. Purchasing an extra duck breast will give you twice as many spring rolls, as the remaining items on your shopping list should easily accommodate the extra portion.