Duck Liver Truffles Food

VELVETY DUCK LIVER PARFAIT

Steps:

• Cut away and discard any large sinews from the livers, then set the livers aside. Heat about a third of the butter in a large frying pan, then gently fry the shallots and garlic for 3-4 mins unti l soft. Turn up the heat, add the livers, then fry until just browned on all sides. Add the brandy and port, boil down as quickly as possible - if the sauce catches light for an instant, then all the better. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Season the livers generously, then tip the contents of the pan into a food processor with the tomato purée and remaining butter, and blitz until smooth. Push the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, taste for seasoning, then tip into a serving dish, banging the dish down on the tabletop to smooth out the surface. Place in the fridge to set.
• Once the mixture has set, make the topping. Gently melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave, then leave for a min to settle and separate. Pour the yellow butter that has risen to the top into another bowl and discard the milky liquid. Leave the yellow butter to cool slightly, then mix in the thyme and peppercorns. Pour the mixture over the parfait and leave to set in the fridge. Serve with plenty of toast, sliced gherkins and chutney. Will keep for 2 days in the fridge.

MUSHROOM RISOTTO CAKES STUFFED WITH DUCK LIVER, PETIT GREENS, AND WHITE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Trim stems of mushrooms and slice evenly. Heat skillet and saute mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes or until tender and golden. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve 1/3 of mushrooms for the sauce.
• Heat stock in a pan and gently simmer. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute longer. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until rice becomes translucent. Add a ladle of mushroom stock and cook on medium heat until stock is absorbed. Adjust seasoning as needed. Continue to add ladles of stock, repeating the process until rice is tender but still firm.
• For making the risotto cakes the consistency should be less creamy than a traditional risotto. Spread the risotto onto a baking sheet to cool.
• Season slices of duck liver with salt and pepper. Sear quickly in a heavy saute pan on high heat on both sides until golden brown. Remove and place on towels to absorb fat.
• To assemble cakes, place eight 3- by 1 1/2-inch high ring molds on a buttered baking sheet. Fill molds with risotto evenly, slightly less than 1/2 full. Place duck liver in center and top off the molds with remaining risotto. Sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan on top, refrigerate until ready to bake. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove molds gently and bake in oven for 12 minutes.
• For the sauce, melt 1/2 ounce of butter in a saucepan. Saute shallots until slightly browned then add remaining mushrooms and saute for a minute longer. Turn to high heat and add the remaining mushroom stock and reduce by half. Adjust seasoning and finish with remaining butter.
• To assemble, toss greens in salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Place risotto cakes on plates, spoon sauce around and garnish with tossed green salad. Top with slices of white truffle.

DUCK LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• 1. Place duck fat in a skillet, and cook over medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fat has melted and some of it has browned.
• 2. Add the shallots, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the liver, herbes de Provence, and garlic, and cook over medium to high heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and pepper.
• 3. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the Cognac, and blend until liquefied. If a finer textured pâté is desired, push the mixture through the holes of a strainer with a spoon. This will yield 1/2 cup. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours, then cover and and refrigerate until serving time.
• 4. Spread the pâté on the toasted baguette slices, and serve. The pâté will keep, well covered, for 3 to 4 days.

DUCK LIVER PATE WITH CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the anchovies, capers and smashed garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the anchovies have dissolved.
• Add the duck livers, then turn up the heat and saute until the livers are halfway to three-quarters of the way done, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the brandy and cook until the brandy has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. (It should still be pretty soupy.)
• Transfer everything to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with a little salt, if needed, and loosen with a little olive oil if needed.
• Brush the tops of the baguette slices with olive oil. Bake on a sheet tray until golden, about 6 minutes. Rub toasted baguette with a clove of garlic, then schmear each toast with the pate.

FRESH DUCK LIVER BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Begin by preheating an oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the bread into 1/4-inch thick slices, cutting the boule in half first. Lightly brush each piece of bread with olive oil, on both sides, before placing onto a cookie sheet and toasting lightly in the oven. Toast both sides evenly, turning halfway through. Remove from the oven and rub each piece of toast or bruschetta with the garlic, to flavor the bread. Place the bruschetti near the oven to keep warm while you make the livers.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cleaned livers to the pan and sear over high heat. Try not to shake the pan too much, but rather allow the livers to caramelize and brown before turning to cook the second side. Cook the livers in batches if necessary, as overcrowding the skillet will result in steamed, and not seared, livers. As the liver is turned on the other side to brown, add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the shallots. Season with salt and pepper, tasting as you go. Add the sugar to the pan and coat the livers evenly, before adding the vinegar carefully, to avoid splattering of the caramelized sugar. Turn the heat down slightly so that the vinegar will reduce to a glossy glaze. Serve the livers immediately on the toasted bruschetti.

FRESH DUCK LIVER, SHALLOTS AND BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Season the duck livers with salt and pepper and add the livers to the hot oil. Saute over medium high heat to brown the liver well before adding the shallots to the pan. Saute the shallots until translucent. Add the honey to the pan, allowing it to melt and begin to bubble. Add the vinegar carefully so that the hot honey does not splash. Add the port and cook for 2 minutes before adding the veal stock. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, reduce to a simmer and braise the livers for 2 minutes while the sauce simmers.
• Toast the slices of brioche and wash and quarter the fresh figs. Serve the duck livers, along with sauce, over the brioche and garnish each plate with several slices of fig.