This was complete sex on a plate. We had been looking forward to this since we decided a week or so ago that we were going to make something for Valentine's night. And what could go wrong when you use foie gras, brioche, blood oranges and sherry? Nothing.
This comes from Jose Garces, a rising star of Nuevo Latino cuisine and the recent winner of The Next Iron Chef America. A really clever combination of flavors here. I am still a bit in shock at how good it was. We both just kind of sat and stared at it after the first bite. We looked a bit like the cave-people gawking at the monolith at the beginning of '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Then we took another bite and witnessed the creation of the universe.
Yeah. It was that good.
FRENCH TOAST BATTER
3 large egg
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE
1 shallot, brunoise
½ cup peach, small dice
½ tablespoon vegetable oil
½ navel oranges, juiced
3 Seville oranges, segmented and zested
1 clove
¼ stick cinnamon
1 star anise
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
HONEY CREME FRAICHE
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
½ teaspoon honey
kosher salt, to taste
SHERRY REDUCTION
1 star anise
2 clove
1 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons glucose syrup
DISH
½ pound foie gras, cut in 2 pieces, each less than 1" thick
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
2 pieces brioche, crust removed, cut in 2x4x1" rectangles
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
sea salt, to taste
FRENCH TOAST BATTER
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a hand blender, puree until smooth. Chill.
SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE
In a saucepan over low heat, sweat shallots and dried peaches in oil until the peaches are very soft. Add orange juice and zest and continue to cook.
In a separate saute pan over medium heat, toss the spices for 1 minute to toast. Grind spices.
Add spices, sugar and honey to dried-peach mixture. Cook over low heat until almost all of the liquid is gone. Fold in orange segments, vinegar and olive oil. Spread the mixture on a tray and refrigerate. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Marmalade can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
HONEY CREME FRAICHE
In a bowl, whisk creme fraiche and honey. The creme fraiche will loosen once you add the honey, so whisk until it starts to stiffen up again. Season with salt and chill. Honey creme fraiche can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
SHERRY REDUCTION
In a saucepan over medium heat, toast spices for one minute. Remove pan from heat and add sherry. Return the pan to the heat and raise to high. Cook until the sherry is reduced to 1/4 cup. Strain through a chinois. Sherry reduction can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
ASSEMBLE AND FINISH
Preheat oven to 350F. Place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Lightly score one side of each piece of foie gras and season with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, place the foie gras in the pan, scored side down. Place pan in the oven to cook, 1 minute. Remove pan and flip foie gras. The foie gras should have a nice brown sear with even score marks. Place the pan back on the burner over medium heat until the second side is seared. Press on the middle of the foie gras to test the doneness. It should be slightly firm but tender. If not yet firm, return the pan to the oven for a few seconds to finish.
Soak brioche in French toast batter for 1 minute. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Brown the soaked brioche on all sides until golden brown.
On each of 2 plates put a small dot of marmalade right in the middle and place the brioche on top so that it won't slide around. Place a piece of foie gras on top of each brioche. In the corner of each plate, place a dot of honey creme fraiche, and in the opposite corner, place a quenelle of marmalade. Drizzle foie gras with sherry reduction and little extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle it with sea salt.
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