Seared Foie Gras And Savory Rosemary Waffle With Prune Armagnac Ice Cream Caramelized Pineapple And Veal Reduction Recipes

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

SEARED FOIE GRAS AND SAVORY ROSEMARY WAFFLE WITH PRUNE ARMAGNAC ICE CREAM, CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE, AND VEAL REDUCTION

Steps:

• For the ice cream: Pour the chilled vanilla custard into an ice cream maker and churn until thick but still just soft. At this point, add the double cream, the armagnac, diced prunes and their syrup. Continue to churn until thick, then transfer to a container and freeze until ready to use.
• For the fois gras: Reduce the veal or poultry stock down by 1/2 or until it obtains sauce consistency. Clean the foie gras and remove the veins. Cut the lobe into 2-ounce medallions and score the surface of the foie gras in an "x" pattern. Season the medallions with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot pan until medium rare.
• Slice the pineapple into 1/8-inch thick slices. Remove the core and sprinkle the pineapple with the white sugar. Saute the pineapple in a minimal amount of oil until the pineapple is golden brown. For presentation, place the pineapple ring in the middle of the plate. Next, place a wedge of waffle on the pineapple ring then the foie gras on top of that. Finish off with a scoop of the ice cream and chervil sprig. Drizzle a little of the veal reduction around the plate and serve.
• Bring the milk to a boil. Split half a pod of vanilla, scraping out all the seeds into the milk. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until thick. Pour the milk over, whisking continuously. Return to the pan and cook over gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Pass through a fine conical sieve. Serve hot or cold.
• Boil 3 pints water in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Leave to infuse for 2 minutes, then add the prunes. Cover the pan. Make a syrup with the sugar and 4 ounces water, bring to a boil, leave to cool and refrigerate.
• The following day, strain the prunes and put them in a large glass jar, pouring the armagnac over. Add the cold syrup. Leave to macerate for a month in a cool place.
• Sift together the dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in the yolks, 1 at a time. Next, add the milk followed by the melted butter. After the egg whites have been whipped to soft peaks fold them into the batter. Finally add the chopped rosemary and the batter is ready for use in a waffle iron.

VANILLA-ARMAGNAC ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Warm the cream, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Be sure that all the sugar is dissolved; you will no longer feel any grittiness from the sugar when you rub some cream between your fingers. Strain into a bowl, cover, and chill well.
• Add the Armagnac and freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. Spoon into a freezer container and allow to chill in the freezer for a few hours before serving.

PAN-SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH FIGS AND PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully pull apart the 2 lobes of the foie gras with your hands and remove the veins that are lodged between them. Using a sharp knife dipped in boiling water, cut each lobe into 1-inch medallions, approximately 6 (4-ounce) slices. Score the top of each medallion in a diamond pattern and season with salt and pepper. Sear the medallions in a hot, dry pan for 30 seconds per side, seasoned side down first. Remove to a warmed platter lined with paper towels to drain.
• Lower heat to medium and pour out a bit of the rendered duck fat. Fry the bread rounds until brown, about 2 minutes each side, set aside. Wipe out the pan and coat with olive oil. Brown the figs, cut side down, then add the shallots and tarragon. Cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with port, juice of 1/2 orange and balsamic vinegar, cook down, about 3 minutes. Finish off the sauce with butter, a pinch of sugar, orange zest, salt and pepper.
• Combine the endive, arugula and chives together in a small bowl. Toss with remaining orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange a handful of salad on each plate and lay the toast on top. Carefully place a foie gras medallion on each toast round. Top with figs, drizzle with port wine sauce. Garnish with chives and serve at once.

PAN SEARED QUEBEC FOIE GRAS WITH HOT AND SOUR PEACH JAM, CABERNET ICE WINE REDUCTION

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Peaches: Combine the peach preserves and serranos in a saucepan. Cook until tender and syrupy. Remove from the heat and mash with a fork.
• Cabernet Franc Reduction: Reduce one cup of veal stock and Cabernet Franc. To thicken, add red wine jus, cream, and butter. Finish with a few drops of red wine vinegar and the shallots.
• Foie Gras: Cut the foie gras into 4 slices and score with a fork. Sear until golden brown on both sides in a hot pan. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with fleur de sel to season.
• Grill a small piece of white or milk bread; place in center of a plate. Add a teaspoon of peach preserve on the bread. Place hot foie gras on the peaches. Garnish with frisee and a few hand-cut local greens tossed in grapeseed oil. Spoon sauce around and drizzle with ice wine syrup.