Flambéd foie gras with Lavender Jus, Celery Whiskers and Sale con Tartufo Nero



Ingredients:
Whole lobe of duck foie gras, deveined and sliced to 2cm thick portions
Food-grade lavender buds
Black truffle sel gris
Celery - 1 stalk
Sodium bicarbonate
Wild aragula

Method:

1. Prepare a basin of ice-cold water and dissolve the bicarbonate into it.
2. Chop the celery stalks to 10cm in length each.
3. "Skin" the celery stalks by thinly slicing the outer 5mm of each stalk - we need to use the skin, and save the core for another dish! Julienne the celery into thin slices of 5mm in thickness and soak in the ice-cold water for 10 minutes, or until the celery whiskers start curling up nicely.
4. Pre-heat a non-stick pan, and very quickly sear each portion of foie gras. 30 seconds on each side will do very nicely - cook it enough so that a very thin brown crust appears, but without the foie gras melting entirely. Reserve the fat for the lavender jus.
5. To flambé, turn off the fire and add 10ml of 80-proof alcohol into the pan (I used Absolut Voka). Using a long fire-starter and after warning any bystanders to back off - Yx had a nasty shock tonight - light the side of the pan. Allow the flames to burn themselves out.
   
6. Chuck the cooked foie in a gentle warmer (an oven heated to 40 or 50C works very nicely).
   
7. Prepare a roux by mixing 1 teaspoon of flour into the reserved fat while maintaining a fine simmer. Add in 1 teaspoon of lavender buds and let simmer for 5 minutes- it's a lovely experience, with your kitchen smelling of lavender! Sieve the mixture out and discard the buds.
   
8. Present by placing a tablespoon of the jus in the centre of a plate, then placing a bed of celery whiskers on top. Sit the foie gras right on top, and sprinkle with a hint of truffle salt. Present with a few more lavender buds mixed with truffle salt on the side. This one will go well with a very light, young white wine with predominantly floral notes.
   

Posted by R. on Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 3:18 AM | Permalink