Jellied Duck with Potato Bread

To prepare the spice blend: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Mixture may be kept up to 3 months stored in a glass jar.

To marinate the duck hearts: Bury the duck hearts in a small dish of sea salt and let stand for half a day. Wash, pat dry, and place in a small pan with the duck fat, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic. Place the pan at the edge of the stove or in a 200 F oven for 8 hours. Remove and let cool in the fat.

To make the terrine: Remove the skin and veins from the liver. Mix the cognac, port, salt and pepper, and a teaspoon of the spice blend in a small non-aluminum bowl. Place the liver in the marinade and add water, if necessary, to cover. Marinate for 6 to 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 200 F. Put the liver and marinade in a non-aluminum loaf pan. Cover with foil and cook 25 to 30 minutes; do not let the foil touch the liver or marinade. Remove and allow to stand until cooled to room temperature. Take off the foil cover and put a sheet of plastic film on top. Place a weight on it to press down the liver and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

To prepare the duck: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Heat half of the oil over medium-high heat in an ovenproof pot or casserole with a cover, large enough to hold the duck. Sear the duck on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown, adding more oil if necessary. Remove from heat. Lift the duck from the pot and season all over with the spice blend, rubbing it into the skin well. Put the duck back in the pot and fill the pot three-fourths of the way with a mixture of duck jus and chicken stock. Reserve the remaining jus-stock mixture. Cover and roast the duck 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, take off the cover, and allow to cool in the liquid. The meat will be rosy.

Remove the duck from the pot, reserving all the liquid in the pot. Detach the legs. Remove the skin from the legs and debone the legs, setting the bones aside. Cut each breast away from the ribs in a single piece. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. Put any juice which comes off the duck into the liquid in the pot. Scrape the seasoning off the skin and add it to the pot.

Continue making the clarified stock which will jell around the meat: Crush the bones in a press or with a heavy mallet. Chop the bones and saute in a small saute pan or skillet with the carrots, onions, celery, and leek. Put the mixture back into the pot with the cooking liquid, add the reserved jus and stock, and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 hours. Remove from heat. Skim any fat and scum which has risen to the top. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Chill until the fat hardens; lift it off the stock and discard. Warm the stock again over medium-low heat. Skim the surface of the stock with a slice of bread to remove any remaining fat. Add the egg white and egg shell and simmer for 10 minutes; the egg will rise to the surface, trapping any solid bits. Line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth and strain the stock through the cheesecloth into a clean bowl. The stock will be clear.

Assemble the dish: Take the duck hearts out of the fat, wipe off, and slice each into three lengthwise slices. Remove the skin from the breasts. Slice the breasts into 1/4-inch-thick slices and reserve. Chop the leg meat into medium dice. Place a bowl large enough to hold the meat and pot liquid into a large bowl of ice. Sprinkle some of the chopped duck meat in the bottom of the bowl, then add a layer of breast meat slices. Scoop the terrine into four quenelles and place on top of the meat. Add the remaining chopped meat, some duck heart slices, and the remaining breast meat slices. Add the remaining heart slices. Slowly pour the clarified stock into the bowl, letting it fill all spaces. Cover all of the meat. Press star anise and bay leaves into the top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set.

To make the potato bread: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Blend the riced potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the egg yolks. Slice the French bread into 1-1/4-inch-thick slices on the diagonal. Using a round cookie cutter, cut circle out of the center of each, leaving just a little of the crust and bread on the sides. Place the hollow slices on a work surface and fill the holes with the potato mixture. Heat half of the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the slices. Fry until golden on each side. Repeat with the remaining butter and slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes.

To serve: This dish is served family-style, with the bread presented on a platter, and the gleaming bowl of duck and duck jelly placed on the table. Pass the bread, and serve scoops of the duck and duck jelly.