Duck Liver Parfait with Date Jam Recipe
Chris Leach’s restaurant Manteca in Shoreditch champions nose-to-tail butchery; this parfait exemplifies that philosophy by celebrating duck livers.
- 180ml of port
- 1 pinch of black peppercorns
- 4 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 1/2 bunch of marjoram
- 1/2 bunch of sage
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 200g of dates, pitted
- 40g of dark brown sugar
- 50ml of sherry vinegar, plus extra if needed
- 140ml of water
- 500g of duck liver, trimmed
- 10g of flaky sea salt
- 2g of curing salt
- 250g of duck fat
- 5 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 250g of double cream
- ciabatta, or focaccia, torn into large chunks and toasted or grilled, to serve
- For the port reduction, add all the ingredients to a saucepan. Gently reduce by half over a medium-low heat then strain through a fine mesh sieve and allow to cool before using
- Meanwhile, for the date jam, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the dates are very soft, adding a little extra water during cooking to maintain a loose consistency, if needed
- Once fully softened, carefully pour into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and more sherry vinegar if needed. Transfer to a squeezy bottle and set aside until needed
- For the parfait, preheat the oven to 135°C. Place all of the ingredients except the double cream in a blender. Add 100g of the port reduction and blend until completely smooth
- Once blended, stir through the cream by hand (doing this by hand prevents it from whipping in the blender)
- Pour the mixture into a 1.3 litre terrine mould lined with baking paper. Cover with tin foil and cook in a bain-marie (a deep roasting dish filled with boiling water) for around 1 hour, checking for a gentle wobble. Remove and allow the parfait to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours until fully set
- Once fully set, scrape off and discard any discoloured surface and blend the parfait in a food processor until smooth. Store in the fridge with baking paper directly on the surface to prevent oxidisation
- To serve, smear the parfait onto one side of your serving plates, arrange the bread alongside and squeeze on a generous blob of date jam. Finish with a dusting of freshly ground black pepper
Blended with a port reduction and served with a date jam, it balances richness, sweetness and lightness. Served with hunks of torn ciabatta that’s fiercely toasted for extra crunch, it’s the perfect way to start a feast.
For the port reduction, add all the ingredients to a saucepan. Gently reduce by half over a medium-low heat then strain through a fine mesh sieve and allow to cool before using
Meanwhile, for the date jam, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the dates are very soft, adding a little extra water during cooking to maintain a loose consistency, if needed Once fully softened, carefully pour into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and more sherry vinegar if needed. Transfer to a squeezy bottle and set aside until needed For the parfait, preheat the oven to 135°C.
Place all of the ingredients except the double cream in a blender. Add 100g of the port reduction and blend until completely smooth Once blended, stir through the cream by hand (doing this by hand prevents it from whipping in the blender)
Pour the mixture into a 1.3 litre terrine mould lined with baking paper. Cover with tin foil and cook in a bain-marie (a deep roasting dish filled with boiling water) for around 1 hour, checking for a gentle wobble.
Remove and allow the parfait to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours until fully set Once fully set, scrape off and discard any discoloured surface and blend the parfait in a food processor until smooth. Store in the fridge with baking paper directly on the surface to prevent oxidisation
To serve, smear the parfait onto one side of your serving plates, arrange the bread alongside and squeeze on a generous blob of date jam. Finish with a dusting of freshly ground black pepper
