Poached Duck Foie Gras With Grape Chutney Food

SAUTEED DUCK FOIE GRAS

Steps:

• After deveining, cut the foie gras crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, then season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the canola oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Sauté half the foie gras until golden, 45 to 60 seconds on each side (it will be pink inside). Quickly transfer to a paper towel to drain and discard fat in skillet.
• Sauté the rest of the foie gras the same way, then discard all all but 1 tablespoon of remaining fat in skillet. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Serve foie gras with sauce.

SMOKED FOIE GRAS WITH GRAPE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Add duck fat to pan, then add grapes and sprinkle sugar over them. Allow grapes to caramelize a little, then add vinegar and reduce by half. Add demi-glace and let reduce again, until sauce is thick enough to coat grapes. Keep warm. Sprinkle foie gras with salt and pepper. When pan is very hot and almost smoking, put in foie gras slices and cook for 30 seconds on each side. Remove form pan, place on paper towels. Serve slices of foie gras on warmed plates with grapes and sauce poured over them.;

PAN-SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH FIGS AND PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully pull apart the 2 lobes of the foie gras with your hands and remove the veins that are lodged between them. Using a sharp knife dipped in boiling water, cut each lobe into 1-inch medallions, approximately 6 (4-ounce) slices. Score the top of each medallion in a diamond pattern and season with salt and pepper. Sear the medallions in a hot, dry pan for 30 seconds per side, seasoned side down first. Remove to a warmed platter lined with paper towels to drain.
• Lower heat to medium and pour out a bit of the rendered duck fat. Fry the bread rounds until brown, about 2 minutes each side, set aside. Wipe out the pan and coat with olive oil. Brown the figs, cut side down, then add the shallots and tarragon. Cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with port, juice of 1/2 orange and balsamic vinegar, cook down, about 3 minutes. Finish off the sauce with butter, a pinch of sugar, orange zest, salt and pepper.
• Combine the endive, arugula and chives together in a small bowl. Toss with remaining orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange a handful of salad on each plate and lay the toast on top. Carefully place a foie gras medallion on each toast round. Top with figs, drizzle with port wine sauce. Garnish with chives and serve at once.

SAUTEED FOIE GRAS WITH GINGER POACHED PEARS AND PINOT NOIR JUS

Steps:

• Season foie gras with salt and pepper. In a large, hot saute pan, saute the foie gras until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate Place the gingerbread on a plate and top with the pears and foie gras. Sauce the plate with pinot noir jus and garnish the foie gras with the cacao nibs.
• Place all ingredients in a small pot and cover with a clean towel. Bring to a slow simmer. Cook until a knife will easily go into the pears. Remove pears form the heat and cool to room temperature in the liquid. Slice and fan the pears. Heat the pears in the poaching liquid before serving.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cut the onion, carrot and leek into medium dice. In a medium saucepot, add the garlic and sweat the vegetables in 2 ounces of the olive oil until translucent and soft. Add the half bottle of pinot noir and reduce by half. Add the veal and brown chicken stocks and bring to a simmer, skimming scum off the surface often.
• Heat a pan and add the remaining 2 ounces olive oil and the squab bones. When the bones start to color, place the pan in the oven and roast the bones until golden brown. Add the bones to the sauce and deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons pinot noir and add the deglazed fond to the sauce. Reduce the sauce by half, strain and discard the bones and vegetables. Continue to reduce to desired consistency and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of wine. Season with salt and pepper and pass through chinois.

WILD MALLARD DUCK CASSOULET WITH DUCK CONFIT, WHITE BEANS, SURRY COUNTY SAUSAGE, BRAISED GREENS, AND POACHED DUCK FOIE GRAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cassoulet: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add shallots, white beans, duck confit, sausage, and the reserved bean braising liquid. Simmer to blend flavors, about 15 to 20 minutes. If needed, add the reserved duck stock to maintain a sauce-like but not syrupy consistency. At the very end, add the local braising greens. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
• For the duck breast: Season duck with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the clarified butter. Place the duck breasts in the pan skin side down. Sear the breasts until the skin is crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, add the garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, and fresh butter. Bake until medium-rare, about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the duck. Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
• For the foie gras: Place the portioned duck foie gras into a heavy duty freezer bag, pressing out the excess air to seal. Bring a saucepan or water to a gentle simmer. When ready to serve the dish, drop the bag of foie gras into the simmering water for about 2 minutes, until the foie gras is softened throughout.
• In a bowl, spoon the white bean ragout into the center. Allow the sauce to fill the bottom of the dish. Slice the duck breast, and place on the ragout skin side up. Open the bag of poached foie gras and season with kosher salt and white pepper. Place on top of the sliced duck breasts and enjoy.

POACHED DUCK FOIE GRAS WITH GRAPE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine demiglace, Port, red wine, vanilla bean, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Lightly crush grapes in a bowl with your hands and add to pan (including stems) with any juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and discard grape stems (don't worry if some small stems remain attached). Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Sprinkle foie gras with kosher salt and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper and cook in dry cleaned saucepan over moderately low heat until bottom is pale golden (do not brown), about 2 minutes, then gently turn over with a large slotted spatula and cook 2 minutes more (again, do not brown). Add cooled poaching liquid and simmer (do not boil) 6 minutes (foie gras will reach 125°F on an instant-read thermometer). Cool foie gras, uncovered, at room temperature in poaching liquid 30 minutes (foie gras will reach 140°F during cooling); for USDA standards, return to a simmer, checking temperature every minute, until foie gras reaches 160°F. Chill, loosely covered, at least 2 days and up to 3.
• Carefully transfer foie gras to a plate with slotted spatula and chill, covered. Skim fat from poaching liquid, then pour liquid through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, discarding solids. Boil liquid, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes (watch sauce carefully toward end of boiling; it scorches easily). Cool sauce to room temperature.
• Serve foie gras whole on a cutting board or platter. Thinly slice, then sprinkle slices with sea salt and pepper. Place a slice of foie gras on a piece of bread, then top with chutney and drizzle with sauce.

SAUTEED FOIE GRAS WITH CIPOLINI ONIONS, NASHI PEAR, AND WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

Steps:

• Dice the Nashi pears and place into a saucepan with the white wine, sugar, pinch of salt, and enough water to cover pears. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, remove and cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel the cipollini onions, leaving the root intact, and arrange so that they sit tightly yet flat on the bottom of a pan. Add the honey, olive oil, and 1 ounce of Worcestershire sauce, cover with aluminum foil and roast for 10 minutes or until tender.
• Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the fois gras, and saute on each side until golden brown on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.
• In a separate pan, heat the Nashi pears with the orange confit and the cipollini onions. Finish with the basil leaves and place a small pile in the center of each plate. Place the fois gras on each plate and add the sauce on top of each fois gras.

SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH POACHED QUINCE, TANGERINE, AND POMEGRANATE JUICE

Steps:

• To make the quince: Slice ends from quince, and peel (a vegetable peeler works well). Cut in half, lengthwise. Remove the tough core, using a Parisian scoop (or a small paring knife). Then cut quince lengthwise into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, and add the remaining ingredients, plus 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cool until quince is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove quince slices and tangerine peel with a slotted spoon. Strain poaching liquid and discard aromatics. Julienne tangerine peel, and return it, along with quince, to poaching liquid. Keep warm. If preparing in advance, let cool in poaching liquid. Cover, and refrigerate.
• To make the pomegranate juice: Cut pomegranate in half, and juice just as you would a citrus fruit. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Set aside.
• To make the foie gras: Separate the two lobes of the foie gras, and cut away any excess fat found at the point of separation. Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife (dipped in hot water), cut foie gras crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Score one side of each slice of foie gras in a crosshatch pattern. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Remove foie gras slices from refrigerator 15 minutes before sauteing. Warm quince over medium heat if necessary. Heat a 12-inch saucepan over medium-high heat. Season foie gras with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Working quickly, sear foie gras slices, crosshatched side down, in batches, if necessary, for about 1 minute. Turn, and cook for another minute. The foie gras should be nicely seared on the outside, yet rare in the middle.
• To assemble: Arrange quince in the center of warmed appetizer plates. Top with foie gras slices. Drizzle reduced pomegranate-juice mixture around the quince and foie gras, and garnish with herbs and pomegranate seeds. Note: This recipe has been adapted from "Alfred Portale's Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook," by Alfred Portale. Copyright 1997 by Alfred Portale. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House.

DUCK BREASTS POACHED IN RED WINE AND PORT

Steps:

• Saute the vegetables in the oil until they start to color. Put the stock in a large pot, add the vegetables and simmer for 20 minutes.
• In a small pan, combine red wine and port, and boil to reduce by half.
• Combine the stock, bouquet garni and wine reduction, and reduce by a third. Cool, add the breasts and refrigerate. Marinate for several hours or overnight.
• To serve, remove the breasts from the liquid, then bring it to a boil. Return the breasts to the liquid, and when it resumes boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, less if breasts are small, until they are cooked but still pink inside.
• Remove the breasts, slice thinly on the diagonal and keep warm. Taste the liquid. If it is too strong, dilute with water.
• With a hand electric whisk, beat in the butter, if desired. Arrange breast slices in shallow bowls, spoon over some of the liquid and serve. Garnish with parsley.