Flan de Foie Gras ►
For this elegant appetizer, Chef Liccioni turns foie gras into flan timbales, scented with nutmeg, garlic, and duck stock and filled with bits of truffle. He sauces the timbales with. Truffle sauce and garnishes them with bits of truffle. A single blanched asparagus spear garnishes each.
Ingredients
- Flan
- Foie Gras - 3-1/2 ounces, uncooked, domestic (alt.cooked foie gras)
- Liver of Duck - 1 ounce, (alt. liver of chicken or squab)
- Nutmeg - 1/8 teaspoon, grated
- Garlic Clove - 1/2 small, smashed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Flour - 1/2 teaspoon
- Whole Egg - 1
- Egg Yolk - 1
- Duck Stock - 2 tablespoons, reduced until syrupy (alt.chicken stock)
- Milk - 8 ounces
- Truffle - 1, finely chopped
- Sauce
- Shallot - 1, minced
- Truffle - 1/2 teaspoon, chopped
- Unsalted Butter - 3 teaspoons
- Sherry Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Duck Stock - 8 ounces, slightly reduced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Orange Zest - 1 teaspoon, julienned
- Truffle - 4 thin slices
- Asparagus Spears - 4, woody part removed, blanched
Instructions
To prepare the flan: Lightly butter four 2-ounce timbale molds. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a food processor, puree the foie gras and liver with the nutmeg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the flour. With the machine running, add the egg and egg yolk. Add the reduced duck stock and milk. The consistency will be very fluid. Strain and adjust the seasoning to taste. Stir in the truffle. Pour into the prepared timbale molds. Set the mold in a baking pan and fill the pan with hot water three-fourths up the sides of the molds. Bake for 25 minutes, until set. Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare the sauce: Saute the shallot and truffle in the butter until softened and translucent. Pour the vinegar into the pan and stir up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the duck stock and reduce until slightly thickened. Add the remaining butter and swirl the pan to incorporate. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Just before serving, add the zest.
To serve: Unmold the flans onto warmed serving plates. Spoon sauce over each. Garnish each with a truffle slice and blanched asparagus tip.
