From Episode 168: Emma's Menu

Sautéed Foie Gras with Crispy Potato Cakes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Sauternes Reduction:

1 cup/250 ml Sauternes (or another similar sweet white wine)

For the Crispy Potato Cakes (Rosti Potatoes):

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound/455 g total), peeled
1 teaspoon/5 g salt
2 large sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
5 teaspoons/25 ml plus 1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil

For the Caramelized Apples:

¼ cup (packed)/55 g golden brown sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons/25 g salted butter

For the Foie Gras:

Four 4-ounce/115-g slices foie gras
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

To make the Sauternes reduction:

Place the Sauternes in a heavy medium saucepan with high sides over medium-high heat and simmer, watching carefully to ensure the wine does not ignite, until it is reduced to a glaze, about 15 minutes. (Note that using a pan with high sides will help prevent the wine from igniting.) Set the glaze aside.

To prepare the Crispy Potato Cakes (Rosti Potatoes):

Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes lengthwise into thin strips that resemble linguine. Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with the salt. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the potatoes to exude their liquid. Place the potatoes in the center of a clean large tea towel or cloth. Fold the towel up around potatoes and twist to squeeze out all of the liquid. Toss the potatoes in a clean dry bowl with the thyme leaves. Using 1 teaspoon/5 ml of oil, lightly coat the insides of four 4-inch/2.5-cm ring molds. 

Coat a flat griddle pan with 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil. Place the ring molds on the pan and set over medium heat until the pan and ring molds are hot. Spoon the potato mixture into each ring mold on the pan and press the potatoes with a spoon to compact them.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon/5 ml of oil over the potatoes in each mold. Cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown on the bottom. Using a metal spatula, turn the potatoes (still in their molds) over and continue to cook 5 minutes longer, or until they are golden on the bottom and the potatoes are tender throughout.

Transfer the crispy potato cakes to a baking sheet. Remove the ring molds.  The crispy potato cakes can be made 2 hours ahead and reheated in a 350°F/180°C oven before serving.

To caramelize the apples:

Place a heavy medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook without stirring until the sugar melts, about 2 minutes.  Decrease the heat to medium-low.

Add the apples and the butter to the melted sugar and cook, tossing occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until the caramel melts and the apples are tender and golden.

To sauté the foie gras and serve:

Place 1 crispy potato cake in the center of each of 4 plates. Place 4 wedges of apples over each crispy potato cake.  Place a heavy large sauté pan over high heat.

Using a small sharp knife, score the top of each slice of foie gras. Sprinkle the foie gras with salt and black pepper. Lay the foie gras in the hot pan and cook for 1 minute or until the foie gras is golden brown on the bottom. 

Turn the foie gras over and cook 1 minute longer or until golden brown on the bottom and just warm in the center. Using a spatula, place the foie gras over the caramelized apples. Drizzle the Sauternes reduction around the outside of the plate, serve and smile!

Pot-Au-Feu of Lobster, Scallops with Foie Gras and Black Truffles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

One 2-pound to 2 1/2-pound/about 1-kg live lobster
6 ounces/175 g baby spinach leaves
4 cups/about 1 liter rich chicken stock
12 baby carrots, peeled, stems trimmed
6 large sea scallops, side muscle removed, scallops halved crosswise
12 baby yellow pattypan (sunburst) squash
4 baby leeks, trimmed
Four 1-ounce/30-g slices foie gras
Sea salt, to taste
4 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves only
1 small black or white truffle

Method:

To prepare the lobster:

Freeze the lobster for 30 minutes so that it becomes sleepy. Meanwhile, place a very large pot of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Place the lobster head first in the boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

Using tongs, remove the lobster from the water and set aside until it is cool enough to handle. Working over a large bowl to catch any lobster juices, carefully cut off the tail and break off the claws.

Crack the tail and claws and extract the meat, using sharp scissors or poultry shears to cut through the shells. The meat will still be raw, but sufficiently loosened enough for you to pull it out of the shells. Keep the claw meat whole, if possible. Cut the tail meat into large bite size pieces. Set the meat aside.

To prepare the spinach:

Place a large saucepan of salted water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Add the spinach and cook for 30 seconds or until wilted. Drain the cooking liquid and press out the excess moisture from the spinach. Mound the spinach in the center of 4 bowls, dividing equally.

To prepare the pot-au-feu:

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and bring the chicken stock to a near simmer. Decrease the heat to medium. Place the carrots in the stock and cook for 2 minutes. Place the scallops and lobster meats in the stock along with the carrots and simmer very gently until the lobster and scallops are cooked through and the carrots are just tender.  This should take about 2 minutes.

Remove the carrots, scallops and lobster meats from the stock and arrange them around the spinach in the bowls, dividing equally. Add the squash and leeks to the stock.

Return the stock to a boil over high heat and boil until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes for the leeks and 12 minutes for the squash. Arrange the cooked squash and leeks in the bowls. Decrease the heat to medium so that the broth simmers gently. Add the foie gras and cook for 2 minutes.

Place the foie gras atop the spinach in the bowls. Return the broth to a simmer then carefully strain the broth through a fine meshed strainer and into a large measuring cup (you will have about 2 to 2 ½ cups/450 to 565 ml  of broth).

Season the broth to taste with a little salt. Pour the hot broth over the foie gras and other cooked ingredients in the bowls, dividing equally. Garnish with the tarragon leaves. Thinly shave the truffle over the pot-au-feu and serve.