Duck liver parfait with brined duck breast and burnt apple puree

Name: Duck liver parfait with brined duck breast and burnt apple puree
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 60 ml Brandy; 60 ml Madeira; 60 ml Port; ¼ Onions, finely diced; 1 Tbsp Currants; 3 Bay leaves; 600 g Duck livers, cleaned (Main); 3 Eggs; 250 ml Cream; 150 g Melted butter; 15 ml Truffle oil; 1 Ltr Water; 80 g Salt; 80 g Sugar; 20 ml Tart apple syrup; 4 pieces Licorice root; 2 Cinnamon sticks; 1 piece Ginger, sliced; 4 Bay leaves; 5 g Coriander seeds; 5 g Black peppercorns, whole; 5 g Fennel seeds; 2 Star anise; 3 large Duck breasts (Main); 3 Granny Smith apples; 15 g Caster sugar; 1 pinch Salt; 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar; 1 Tbsp Tart apple syrup; 2 Tbsp Olive oil

for 12 people

Tam West

Bite

Duck liver parfait

60 ml	Brandy
60 ml	Madeira
60 ml	Port
¼	Onions, finely diced
1 Tbsp	Currants
3	Bay leaves
600 g	Duck livers, cleaned (Main)
3	Eggs
250 ml	Cream
150 g	Melted butter
15 ml	Truffle oil

Duck breasts

1 Ltr	Water
80 g	Salt
80 g	Sugar
20 ml	Tart apple syrup
4 pieces	Licorice root
2	Cinnamon sticks
1 piece	Ginger, sliced
4	Bay leaves
5 g	Coriander seeds
5 g	Black peppercorns, whole
5 g	Fennel seeds
2	Star anise
3 large	Duck breasts (Main)

Burnt apple puree and candied walnuts

3	Granny Smith apples
15 g	Caster sugar
1 pinch	Salt
1 Tbsp	Apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp	Tart apple syrup
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 Tbsp	Liquid glucose
1 Tbsp	Sugar
160 g	Toasted walnuts

Directions

To make the duck liver parfait

Place the brandy, madeira, port, onion, currants andbay leaves in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by a third. Strain and discard the aromatics. Set the liquid aside to cool.
Thoroughly clean the livers, removing any sinew or green parts and drain them of any blood. Place the livers in a food processor and puree. Add the eggs to the processor, one at a time, and then add the cream, stock reduction (from step 1) and seasonings. Lastly add the melted butter and the truffle oil. Pass the mixture through a fine strainer.
Heat the oven to 150C.
Grease a terrine mould and pour in the duck liver mixture. Cover and place in a roasting pan. Fill the pan with warm water to come three quarters of the way up the mould and cook for 40 minutes or until just firm. Remove the terrine from the waterbath and cool. Once cool, transfer to the fridge to set overnight.
The next day unmould the terrine and cut into slices or serve in whole piece

To make the duck breasts

Bring all ingredients except the duck breasts together in a pot and boil until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Leave brine to cool and infuse.
Trim duck breasts of excess fat. Submerge the breast in the cold brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove duck from the brine and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel. Score the duck breast skin and sear in a medium pan till all the fat has rendered, and the skin is crispy. Turn the breast and sear the flesh for 1-2 minutes. Place the breast skin side down on a tray and place in a warm oven for 8-10 minutes until cooked medium rare. Remove from the oven and rest before slicing.

Burnt apple puree

Roast the apples, sugar and salt in a very hot oven or alternatively blacken the apple skin on top of gas rings. Then place the apples in oven to cook through. The apples should be completely black. Core apples and blend with vinegar, apple syrup and olive oil.

Candied walnuts

Heat the oven to 160C. In a small saucepan heat the glucose and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved then add the walnuts and stir well to coat them evenly. Lay the walnuts on a non-stick baking tray and bake 5-6 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven, season with a little salt and black pepper then set aside to cool. When cool, roughly chop.