Duck Liver Truffles Recipes

DUCK STUFFED WITH CHICKEN LIVER, CANDIED ORANGE, AND PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar and 2 2/3 cups water in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add orange slices and boil gently until orange peels are almost translucent, about 30 minutes. Drain. Place orange slices on rack set over plate and let drain another 30 minutes. Cut slices into 1/2-inch dice. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken livers, sage, and garlic; sauté until livers are browned but still slightly pink inside, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Cut chicken livers into 1/2-inch dice; return to skillet. Mix in pears and diced candied oranges. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil wine in small saucepan for 3 minutes to allow alcohol to cook away; set aside. Sprinkle duck cavities with salt and pepper. Fill cavities with liver stuffing, dividing equally. Close cavity openings with small metal skewers. Place ducks in large roasting pan. Brush ducks with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast ducks 20 minutes. Pour wine into roasting pan. Brush ducks with honey. Continue to roast until ducks are cooked through and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with fork, about 1 hour 10 minutes longer. Transfer ducks to platter. Spoon fat off top of pan juices and discard. Pour pan juices into small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Serve ducks and stuffing with pan juices.

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.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH WHITE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Butter the inside of a small crock; set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add livers, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Lift livers from pan; transfer to a bowl until completely cool.
• Return pan to medium heat; add cognac. Tilt pan to ignite cognac; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside until cool.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the reserved livers and the pan juices. Chop the truffles, and add them and the butter to food processor. Process until almost completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pate to prepared crock, smooth the top, cover well, and refrigerate up to 3 days, until ready to serve.

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.

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.