Timbale de Foie Gras à l’Alsacienne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •18 cm wide, 8 cm deep springform or loose-bottomed timbale mould
• •Rolling pin
• •Parchment and baking weights
• •Pastry brush
• •Medium saucepan and fine-mesh sieve
• •Wide heavy skillet
• •Small serrated knife and broad serving spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the timbale dough

   Beat the egg and reserve 1 tablespoon in the cold for sealing the pastry. Mix the 320 g flour with the measured salt, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, with no large flakes that could weaken the wall. Add the remaining egg and 3 tablespoons of the ice water, mixing until the dough gathers; add the final spoonful of water only if dry flour remains. Knead briefly until smooth, flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes. Pâte à timbale must be tender enough to eat but sturdy enough to stand.

2. 2

   Line the mould

   Butter an 18 cm wide, 8 cm deep springform or loose-bottomed mould. Reserve one-third of the dough for the lid and repairs. On the rolling flour, roll the remainder 3 mm thick; cut an 18 cm circle for the base and a band about 9 cm wide and 58 cm long for the wall. Press the band against the mould, overlap its ends by 1 cm, and seal the wall firmly to the base with a fingertip dampened in water. If the dough tears, patch it with a thin scrap and press the edges smooth. The repair disappears in the baking. Chill for 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Blind-bake the shell

   Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Line the pastry with crumpled parchment and fill it to the rim with baking weights or dried beans, which support the tall wall while it sets. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and lower the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Brush the interior lightly with the reserved beaten egg and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, until deep butter-gold, dry, and rigid. Roll the reserved dough 3 mm thick, cut a 17½ cm lid, score it decoratively without cutting through, and bake it on a lined sheet for 18 to 20 minutes. If a crack opens in the shell, press on a thin scrap of raw dough while the pastry is still hot and return it to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before releasing the mould.

4. 4

   Build the Sauce suprême

   Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour and cook the roux for 2 minutes without letting it colour. Whisk in the chicken stock a little at a time, scraping into every corner, then simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes. Add the cream and continue until the Sauce suprême coats the back of a spoon but still pours freely, about 6 minutes. If small lumps remain, pass it through a fine sieve. Ça se rattrape. Cover the surface and hold the sauce warm without adding the truffle essence or finishing butter yet.

5. 5

   Prepare truffle and foie

   If using preserved truffle, drain it and reserve its liquor for the sauce. Slice the truffle thinly. Cut the cold foie gras into 8 collops, thick oval slices about 1 cm deep, using a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Pat them dry, season lightly with salt and white pepper, and return them to the cold. Cold foie gras keeps its shape when it reaches the pan.

6. 6

   Bind the noodles

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reserve about 40 g of the fresh noodles for the top; blanch these for only 30 seconds, drain them thoroughly, and toss them with 1 tablespoon of butter so the strands remain separate. Cook the remaining noodles until just tender, usually 2 to 3 minutes, and drain them very well. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cream, reduce the rest in the empty pot until slightly thickened, then add 2 tablespoons of butter and the cooked noodles. Toss over low heat until the cream clings and no liquid gathers beneath them. If they tighten too far, add the reserved cream. The noodles may gleam, but they must not puddle, because loose cream will undo the crust.

7. 7

   Sauté the foie gras

   Heat a wide skillet until properly hot, then add the tablespoon of butter. When its foam subsides, sauté the cold foie gras collops without crowding, about 45 seconds to 1 minute per side, until bronze at the surfaces and hot through the centre while still holding their shape. If they begin melting before they colour, lift them out immediately, pour off the rendered fat, let the pan become hotter, and return them for 10 seconds per side. Transfer to a warm plate and season once more with restraint.

8. 8

   Layer at the last minute

   Set the freestanding pastry shell on its serving platter and divide the creamed noodles mentally into four portions. Spoon in the first portion, arrange 4 foie gras collops over it, add the second portion of noodles, and cover it with the truffle slices. Follow with the third portion, the remaining foie gras, and the final creamed noodles. If liquid has collected beneath the noodles, stop and reduce them again before filling; the rescue must happen before the cream touches the crust. Scatter the barely blanched buttered strands over the top exactly where the source places its raw noodles, then set on the pastry lid.

9. 9

   Finish the sauce

   Bring the Sauce suprême back to a bare simmer, then remove it from the heat. Stir in the truffle essence and monter au beurre, whisk in the cold finishing butter until the sauce turns glossy. Do not boil it afterward. If the sauce separates, whisk 1 tablespoon of cold stock in a clean warm saucepan, then add the broken sauce gradually until it comes together. Taste for salt and white pepper, and pour it into a warm sauceboat.

10. 10

    Serve without waiting

    Carry the timbale whole to the table. Cut the pastry lid into four wedges, then use a small serrated knife to divide the wall while a broad spoon supports the noodles and foie gras within. Pass the truffled Sauce suprême separately, never poured into the shell, so each serving receives sauce while the remaining pastry stays crisp. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Fresh goose foie gras carries the Strasbourg association most clearly, while duck foie gras is easier to find and slightly more assertive. Either honors the entry; buy a whole raw lobe firm enough to slice, not a cooked bloc or pâté.
• •Preserved whole black truffles and their liquor are the classical pantry’s honest answer when fresh truffles are unavailable. Use the liquor as the truffle essence for the Sauce suprême. Truffle-flavoured oil has no work to do here.
• •The mould needs height more than decoration. An 18 cm springform tin makes the practical home equivalent of a timbale mould, and its removable side protects the baked pastry when you release it.
• •Serve a dry Alsace Pinot Gris or a full, dry Riesling. The wine needs enough body for foie gras and cream, but sweetness would make this savory timbale feel heavier than it is.

Advance Preparation

• •The pâte à timbale can be mixed and chilled one day ahead. The shell and lid can also be blind-baked earlier in the day, cooled completely, and kept uncovered in a dry room; re-crisp them for 6 to 8 minutes at 180°C / 350°F if humidity has softened the surface.
• •The Sauce suprême can be prepared through the cream stage one day ahead, chilled promptly, and reheated gently. Add the truffle essence and finishing butter only when the timbale is filled.
• •Slice and chill the foie gras up to 4 hours ahead. Do not bind the noodles or fill the pastry in advance; once cream meets the shell, the clock has started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 450g)