Duck liver parfait, cherry compote & sourdough croutes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Plus cooling and setting
- Easy
- Makes two small jars; serves 10 as a canapé
Ingredients
- 100g butter, extra for frying
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- ½ tsp white peppercorns, crushed
- pinch of coriander seeds, crushed
- 400g duck livers, trimmed of sinew and roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 80ml madeira
- freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp Grand Marnier
For the cherry glaze
- 80g morello cherry jam
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
For the sourdough croutes
- 8 slices of sourdough, cut into bite-sized pieces (if making canapés)
- olive oil
- sea salt
- thyme leaves
Method
- STEP 1
Heat a piece of the butter in a frying pan. Once melted and sizzling, add the shallots, thyme, peppercorns and coriander seeds with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins, until the shallots begin to colour, then turn up the heat slightly, add the livers and cinnamon and cook for 3-4 mins. Splash in the madeira and bubble until reduced by about half. Transfer to a bowl to cool and grate over some fresh nutmeg.
- STEP 2
Once cool, transfer the mix to a blender, add the butter and Grand Marnier and blitz. Check for seasoning, then pass through a fine sieve. Pour into ramekins or small bowls, leaving a gap for the cherry topping, and place in the fridge to set.
- STEP 3
To make the cherry glaze, very gently melt down 80g of the cherry compote with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Allow to cool slightly, then top the parfait with the cherry mix. Return to the fridge to set for a couple more hours. Can be made up to two days in advance.
- STEP 4
To make the sourdough croutes, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss your sourdough with a really generous pinch of salt, a good drizzle of olive oil and the thyme leaves. Roast in the oven for 15-20 mins until crisp and golden. The croutes can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container. Let guests spread the parfait over of the croutes and enjoy.