Bécasse Souvaroff

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3 to 4-quart lidded terrine or ovenproof casserole
• •12-inch (30 cm) ovenproof sauté pan with lid
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Kitchen twine
• •Heavy-duty foil
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the birds

   Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Choose a lidded terrine or casserole that holds the four birds snugly in one layer. The source directs the cook through Faisan Souvaroff (No. 1845), with the proportions reduced for woodcock; four small birds replace the single pheasant while the sequence remains intact. Check each cavity for stray feathers or shot, pat the birds thoroughly dry, and season inside and out with the salt and pepper. Season lightly because the bacon, glaze, and gravy will all speak later.

2. 2

   Cook the truffles

   Combine the ½ cup Madeira and light meat glaze in the smallest saucepan that will hold the truffles closely. Bring the liquid to a bare simmer, add the whole truffles, and cook for exactly 5 minutes, turning them once so every surface is lacquered. Lift the truffles into the terrine. The liquid should coat a spoon without becoming sticky; if it catches at the edge, pour it immediately into a clean pan without scraping the scorched spot and loosen it with a tablespoon of water. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Stiffen the foie gras

   Lower the truffle liquor to the gentlest tremble and add the cold foie gras dice. Turn them carefully for 30 to 45 seconds, only until their surfaces firm and turn glossy; they must not cook through. Lift them out at once. If a cube begins to slump or shed a pool of fat, take the pan off the heat, remove every piece, and chill the remaining foie for 10 minutes before continuing in liquid brought back only to a tremble. The centre belongs inside the bird, not melted into the saucepan.

4. 4

   Stuff and truss

   Divide the foie gras dice among the four cavities, handling them gently so they remain in large pieces. Truss each bird compactly with kitchen twine, then wrap each with three bacon slices, covering the breasts and thighs and securing the ends beneath the twine. The bacon is barding, a protective coat of fat for a bird that dries quickly; keep it close to the flesh rather than arranging it decoratively.

5. 5

   Poêler the birds

   Melt the butter in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the wrapped birds and turn them gently for 2 minutes, just until the bacon begins to gild. Set them breast-side up, cover the pan, and poêler in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, basting once with the butter and bacon juices. Stop while the birds are only about two-thirds cooked. They will still feel yielding at the breast, which is correct; the sealed terrine must finish them without drying them.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Set the birds among the truffles in the terrine. Pour over every spoonful of the poêling liquor. Add the remaining ¼ cup Madeira and the game gravy to the hot sauté pan, scraping up the browned fond, then pour this over the birds along with the truffle cooking liquor. Cover the terrine opening with a double layer of heavy foil, pressing it firmly around the rim, and clamp on the lid. If the foil tears, replace it completely. A loose patch leaks the perfume, and the perfume is the dish.

7. 7

   Finish under seal

   Return the sealed terrine to the oven for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during that quarter hour. At the end, remove only the lid in the kitchen and pierce the foil over the largest bird with an instant-read thermometer; the centre of the foie-filled cavity must reach 165°F (74°C). If it falls short, press a small fresh foil patch over the puncture, replace the lid, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Ça se rattrape, and dry woodcock does not.

8. 8

   Open at the table

   Rest the terrine for 5 minutes with its seal intact, then carry it to the table as it stands. Lift the lid and peel back the foil only when everyone is seated. Give each guest one bird and one truffle, spooning the glossy Madeira and game liquor over both. No scattered herbs, no ornamental plate work. The late opening and the first rush of truffle, foie gras, and game are the finish. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Woodcock cannot legally be sold or served everywhere. Use only lawfully sourced, properly dressed birds, and check them carefully for shot. Squab can carry the Souvaroff method when woodcock is unavailable, but it becomes a cousin of the dish, not Bécasse Souvaroff.
• •Fresh black truffles give the fullest perfume. Outside their season, use four good whole preserved black truffles in their natural juice, drained. Their aroma is quieter but honest; truffle oil supplies perfume without the truffle's deep, earthy body and does not belong here.
• •Light meat glaze and game gravy are the two components a brigade kept ready. For the home kitchen, buy them unsalted from a good butcher or game supplier and taste before seasoning the birds. A salty commercial demi-glace will concentrate harshly under the seal.
• •Serve a mature red Burgundy or another restrained Pinot Noir with enough freshness for the foie gras. Madeira is already inside the terrine, so pouring it alongside can make the meal sweeter and heavier than the bird asks.

Advance Preparation

• •The light meat glaze and game gravy may be obtained or prepared up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Warm both gently before they meet the terrine.
• •The truffles may be cooked in their Madeira and glaze up to 6 hours ahead. Keep the truffles and liquor separately covered and chilled, then warm the liquor gently before stiffening the foie gras.
• •Clean, dry, and season the birds up to 4 hours ahead, keeping them covered and cold. Stuff, truss, and wrap them only when you're ready to begin the poêler; the final cooking should not be done in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)