PORCINI TER. w/WOOD PIGEON & FOIE GRAS

By BobD

Ingredients

• 10 SERVINGS
• Molded terrine wrapped in a rosy layer of duck prosciutto. Wood pigeon, porcini, and foie gras are bound by a jelly made with seasoned wood pigeon stock and red wine.
• • 4 wood pigeons
• • 2 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• • 4 shallots, coarsely chopped
• • 1 each onion, carrot, celery rib, and small ramps or leek
• • 1 small head garlic, coarsely chopped
• • 2 (750-ml) bottles red wine from the Tannat grape, such as Madiran or Cotes de Gascogne
• • Pinch dried thyme, plus 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• • 1 bay leaf
• • 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder
• • 3 tablespoons rendered duck fat or unsalted butter
• • 1 1/2 pounds fresh porcini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems separated from caps
• • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• • 1 whole Grade A foie gras, about 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned and separated into 2 lobes
• • 1 to 2 duck prosciutto gras, sliced by machine lengthwise paper-thin
• • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• • Chicken stock, as needed
• • 1 pound mixed field greens or mesclun lightly dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Details

Servings 10
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Clean wood pigeons and bone out breasts, leaving them whole. Remove and discard skin, and refrigerate breasts.

Chop bones and legs, and roast them in a flat pan along the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the shallots, and the onion, carrot, celery, leek, and head of garlic until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Scrape into a stockpot, deglazing pan with a little water if necessary.

Pour in wine and add enough water to cover bones. Add dried thyme and bay leaf, bring liquid to a boil, then adjust heat down to a simmer, cook for 2 hours, then strain.

Reserve 2 cups of the liquid and reduce the rest over medium-high heat to a thick syrup, lowering heat as it thickens so as not to burn it. Cover and refrigerate.

Bring the 2 cups of stock to a boil, sprinkle on gelatin, and cook until dissolved. Set aside to thicken into jelly.

While stock reduces, heat 2 tablespoons of the duck fat in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add porcini caps and stems, thyme leaves, and minced garlic, and sauté until cooked, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, drain on paper towels, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Season foie gras lobes with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add foie gras lobes and cook for 30 seconds on each side to lightly brown them, turning them carefully.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast foie gras for 12 minutes, then turn, add remaining 2 tablespoons shallots, and roast 8 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of the duck fat over medium-high heat. Season wood pigeon breasts with salt and pepper and sauté them until medium rare, 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side.

Remove and blot on paper towels.

Coarsely chop wood pigeon, porcini caps and stems, and foie gras separately. Combine in a bowl, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the foie gras and mushrooms for the sauce.

Carefully line an 8 x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch terrine with slightly overlapping slices of duck prosciutto, and add filling. Pour wine jelly over the filling, warming it up if it is too thick to pour.

Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Place another terrine of the same size on top, add about 1 pound of weight to it, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Remove weight and unmold terrine by dipping the bottom into hot water.

Combine reduced stock, reserved foie gras and mushrooms, and vinegar in an electric blender and puree until smooth. Add just enough chicken stock to thin mixture to a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. C

Cut terrine into slices and lay each portion on a small handful of salad.

Drizzle on sauce, and serve.