Caneton Glacé aux Mandarines

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5-quart lidded Dutch oven for the referenced poëling preparation
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Food processor or strong blender
• •Fine-mesh sieve and damp cheesecloth or coffee filter
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan
• •Six 3-ounce (90 ml) silicone timbale moulds
• •Pastry brush
• •Low, long oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Cool the duckling

   Prepare the duckling according to Poëlings (No. 250), without reworking that preparation here; when finished, the thickest part of the thigh should register at least 165°F (74°C). Strain off 1½ cups (360 ml) of its cooking liquor. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) for the timbales, then set the duckling on its back, breast upward, in a shallow nonreactive dish and spoon the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) over it. Nest the dish in an ice bath and turn it once as it cools, then refrigerate it within one hour. Chill the duckling and both portions of liquor thoroughly, keeping them at or below 40°F (4°C).

   Once the liquor is cold, lift away every trace of solid fat. Pass it through a damp coffee filter or several layers of damp cheesecloth; cold aspic exposes grease instead of hiding it.
2. 2

   Empty the mandarins

   Cut a thin lid from the stem end of six unblemished mandarins. Ease out the sections with a small spoon or grapefruit knife without piercing the shells, then scrape away loose white membranes. Juice the sections from all eight fruits and strain them; measure ¾ cup (180 ml / 180 g) for the timbale aspic. Chill the six shells and their lids. If the fruit is dry and gives less juice, squeeze another mandarin rather than replacing its clean flavor with lemon or sweetened juice.

3. 3

   Make the liver mousse

   Reserve 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the cream. Melt 2 tablespoons (28 g) of the butter over medium heat and cook the duck livers without crowding until browned outside and 165°F (74°C) at the center. Transfer the hot livers and pan butter to a food processor. Add the foie gras, remaining butter, ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt, and white pepper, then process until completely smooth and pass the purée through a fine sieve. If it looks grainy or oily, blend in the reserved tablespoon of warm cream while the mixture is still supple. Ça se rattrape. Cool it until no longer warm but not firm. Whip the remaining cold cream to soft folds and fold it through the liver base; this aeration is what makes it mousse rather than pâté. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

   If the liver base firms before the whipped cream is ready, set its bowl briefly over barely warm water and stir just until flexible. Don't melt it.
4. 4

   Build both aspics

   Divide the gelatin between two bowls, 2 packets (14 g) in each, and sprinkle ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water over each portion. Let both bloom for 10 minutes. For the glazing aspic, bring the clear stock just to a simmer, remove it from the heat, and dissolve one portion of bloomed gelatin in it. Strain into a shallow bowl. For the timbales, warm the reserved, thoroughly degreased 1 cup (240 ml) poëling liquor with the ¾ cup (180 ml) mandarin juice, remove it from the heat, and dissolve the second portion of gelatin. Taste both mixtures from a chilled spoon and season with the remaining salt only as needed, remembering that cold dulls seasoning. Do not boil either mixture after adding the gelatin.

5. 5

   Set the timbales

   Divide the mandarin and poëling-liquor aspic among six 3-ounce (90 ml) silicone moulds, using about ⅓ cup (80 ml) in each. Refrigerate them on a level tray for at least 3 hours, until firm enough to unmould without slumping. If a timbale refuses to release, dip only the base of its mould in warm water for two seconds and invert again. A longer bath melts the details and leaves a puddle.

6. 6

   Glaze in layers

   Lift the cold duckling from its dish, remove any clinging fat or set liquor, and blot the skin completely dry. Set it on its back, breast upward, on a wire rack over a clean sheet pan. Cool the plain aspic over ice, stirring occasionally, until it has the body of light syrup but still flows. Spoon or brush on one thin coat and refrigerate for 8 to 10 minutes; repeat three or four times, warming the collected runoff gently and reusing it as needed. If the aspic slides off, stop. Either the bird is damp or the jelly is too warm: blot and rechill the duck, thicken the aspic over ice, then begin again. Ça se rattrape. Hold the finished bird cold until assembly.

7. 7

   Fill and arrange

   Stir the chilled mousse just enough to make it spoonable, then fill the six mandarin shells generously and replace their lids at a slight angle. Set the glazed duckling directly on a low, long platter, still on its back with the breast uppermost. The carved rice or bread cushion is omitted because it raised a professional buffet display but adds nothing to the eating. Unmould the six timbales and alternate them with the filled mandarins around the bird. Keep the platter chilled until 15 minutes before serving, present it whole, then carve the breasts thinly and divide the legs, giving each plate some mousse and citrus aspic. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use mandarins with fragrant, taut skins and some weight in the hand. Loose, bruised shells tear when emptied, while dry fruit leaves too little juice for the timbales.
• •Choose plain fully cooked foie gras without truffle, spirits, or sweet seasoning. The source gives the mousse only duck liver and foie gras; flavored foie gras writes a different recipe over it.
• •The stock must be clear and concentrated enough to taste good cold. If boxed stock seems thin, reduce 2¼ cups (540 ml) to 1½ cups (360 ml), chill it, remove the fat, and measure again. An egg-white clarification belongs to brigade scaffolding and isn't necessary here.
• •Serve the platter cool rather than icy, after about 15 minutes out of refrigeration. A dry Champagne or a firm, dry Vouvray has enough acidity for the foie gras and enough breadth for the cold duck.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the poëled duckling, strain its liquor, and chill both a day before serving. Keep the duck covered once cold so its surface does not dry excessively.
• •The liver mousse and aspic timbales can be made a day ahead. Keep the mousse covered and leave the timbales in their moulds until assembly.
• •Glaze the duckling up to 6 hours before serving. Chill it uncovered until the final coat is firm, then tent it loosely without letting the covering touch the aspic.
• •Fill the mandarin shells no more than 6 hours before serving. The completed dish keeps for up to 2 days at or below 40°F (4°C), though the citrus shells look best on the first day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 625g)