RECIPES:

FOIE GRAS-APPLE TART

Granny Smith Apple “Chip”

and Apple-Armagnac Reduction

(serves 12)

To prepare the Crust:

1 cup All Purpose Flour

¼ cup Butter

¼ tsp Salt

1/8 - 3/16 cup Ice Cold Water

¼ egg

Sift flour into a stainless steel bowl.  Make a well in the center of the flour and cut butter into well.  Sprinkle with salt.  Pour water and egg into well.  Add egg.  Start working butter and liquid into small amount of flour with one hand’s fingers while slowly adding more flour with a dough scraper.  Continue until incorporated, remove from bowl and knead by hand for 1 minute.  Wrap with plastic and allow to rest in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  (Note: This recipe makes more than you need, however it is more likely that you’ll find success when preparing this still minimized quantity.  You can always make crisps out of the remainder to snack on!)

Remove from refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick.  Using a 6 inch ring mold as a guide, cut a circle of dough approximately ½ inch bigger than the mold.  Dock with a fork, transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned and done.

To prepare the Chip:

1 Granny Smith Apple

Peel and cut apple into quarters.  Slice quarters the long way paper thin on mandoline.  Arrange on a non-stick silpat or other non-stick baking mat.  Place a second mat on top and place in a 200 degree oven until golden brown and completely dehydrated.  Remove carefully from mat and keep in a dry place.

To prepare the Foie Gras Mousse:

1/3 lb. Foie Gras

1 tbsp. Armagnac

¼ tsp. Curing Salt

freshly Ground White Pepper

Clean and de-vein foie gras.  Place in a small clean container and drizzle with Armagnac.  Sprinkle with curing salt and pepper.  Place in refrigerator and allow to macerate for at least 2 hours.  Remove from refrigerator and allow to soften.  Roll foie gras in plastic wrap in the shape of a 1 inch thick log, (a torchon), and poach for 1 minute in simmering water.  Remove and immediately cool in refrigerator.

1 ½ tbsp. Heavy Cream

1 ½ tbsp. Armagnac

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Remove foie gras from plastic and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a sharp blade.  Purée on high until mixture starts to separate (it may or may not but this is okay).  Purée in cream and armagnac, season.  Remove from food processor and transfer to a stainless steel bowl.  Place bowl over a simmering water bath and stir slowly until mixture comes back together.

2 sheets Gelatin

small amount of water to soak

In a stainless steel bowl soak gelatin in water until soft.  Remove gelatin from water and squeeze dry.  Return to stainless steel bowl and melt over a simmering water bath.  Slowly temper in foie gras mixture until completely incorporated.  Adjust seasoning.

Place 6 inch ring mold on top of crust and press down so that mold cuts into crust.  If the crust does not cut completely through this is fine, it can be cut off after the foie gras sets.  Pour foie gras mixture into ring mold and transfer to the refrigerator and allow to set.

1/4 cup Apple Juice

1/4 cup Armagnac

2 sheets Gelatin

Combine apple juice and armagnac.  Soak gelatin in mixture until soft.  Melt over a double boiler and allow to cool to 70 degrees.  Gently ladle over tart and refrigerate until set.

To prepare the Apple-Armagnac reduction:

1 cup Apple Juice

1-2 tbsp. Armagnac

dash Lemon Juice

Place apple juice in a small stainless steel saucepan and reduce to a light syrup.  Cool half way and whisk in armagnac and lemon.  Transfer to a squeeze bottle and reserve at room temperature.  (Take care not to over reduce as this may result in the reduction being to thick to squeeze).

For the presentation:

12 small Chervil Sprigs

Remove foie gras tarts from refrigerator and carefully run a small paring knife around inside of mold to separate tart (see demo).  Push tart out of mold.  Using a sharp knife carefully cut into 12 pieces.  Make small incision on the top of each tart to hold apple chip.  Place tarts on small plates.  Drizzle plate decoratively with apple-cognac reduction.  Stand chip on top of tart using incision as a base.  Garnish with sprig and serve.