Timbale de Bécasse Metternich

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8-inch by 2-inch (20 by 5 cm) cake ring or springform pan
• •Baking sheet, parchment, and baking weights
• •Small close-fitting roasting pan
• •Narrow carving knife and poultry shears
• •Large heavy stone or cast-iron mortar and pestle
• •Sturdy medium sieve
• •Fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Heavy skillet

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Combine 2 cups (250 g) of the flour with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cut in the 9 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Beat 1 egg with 2 tablespoons of the ice water, work it into the flour, and add the final spoonful of water only if dry crumbs remain. Press the dough together without kneading, flatten it into a disc, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes. This sturdy pâte à foncer must support the filling, so tender is welcome but flaky and fragile is not.

2. 2

   Bake the timbale

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll two-thirds of the dough about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick and line an 8-inch by 2-inch (20 by 5 cm) cake ring or springform pan set on a baking sheet. Press the pastry firmly into the bottom corner, trim the rim evenly, and dock the base. Cut a simple braided cord or leaves from the remaining dough, attach them to the rim with beaten egg, and chill the shell for 15 minutes. Line it with parchment and baking weights, bake for 18 minutes, then remove the weights. Brush the interior with beaten egg and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, until firm and deeply golden. If a crack appears, press a thin scrap of dough over it while the shell is warm, brush with egg, and bake for another 3 minutes. Ça se rattrape. Cool for 5 minutes, unmould carefully, and hold the crust in a 200°F (95°C) oven.

3. 3

   Roast the woodcocks

   Increase the oven to 450°F (230°C). Dry the woodcocks thoroughly, rub them with the softened butter, and season inside and out with ¾ teaspoon of the remaining salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange them breast-side up in a close-fitting roasting pan and roast for 10 to 16 minutes, depending on size, until an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side into the thickest breast reaches 160°F (71°C). Rest for 5 minutes and verify that they reach 165°F (74°C). This preserves the source's instruction to withdraw the birds underdone relative to their final temperature without serving wild poultry raw.

4. 4

   Raise the suprêmes

   Carve the two suprêmes cleanly from each rested woodcock, following the breastbone with a narrow knife. Cover them loosely and keep them near the stove. Include every remaining roasted part in the cullis: legs, wings, skin, attached meat, carcasses, and the roasting juices. Cut the remains into small pieces with poultry shears so the bones can be pounded safely and evenly.

5. 5

   Pound the cullis

   Combine the brown stock and black truffle juice to make the home truffle essence, reserving 2 tablespoons for adjustment. Warm the rest without boiling, use a little to release every browned trace from the roasting pan, and add those juices to the chopped carcasses. Working in batches, pound the remains in a heavy mortar until they form a coarse paste, adding the warm truffle essence gradually to thin it. Force the mixture through a sturdy medium sieve, pressing heavily with the back of a ladle. Pass the resulting cullis a second time through a fine sieve lined with two layers of damp cheesecloth, the home equivalent of a tammy. Do not skip this second pass or accept the least trace of bone grit.

6. 6

   Finish without boiling

   Place the strained cullis in a small heavy saucepan over low heat and stir until it reaches 155 to 160°F (68 to 71°C), with no bubbling at the edge. Add the lemon juice and Cognac. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the 2 tablespoons of cold butter, one piece at a time, until the cullis gleams and lightly coats a spoon. Taste and use the remaining salt and pepper as needed. If bubbles appear, transfer the sauce immediately to a cool pan and whisk in a spoonful of the reserved cold truffle essence. If graininess has begun, pass it through the damp fine sieve again before adding the butter. Ça se rattrape, though the lost colour cannot be entirely restored.

   Never reduce this cullis by boiling. Control its consistency while pounding by adding the truffle essence gradually, then use the reserved spoonful only if it needs loosening.
7. 7

   Sauté the foie gras

   Keep the foie gras cold until the cullis and crust are ready. Heat a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the collops lightly with the remaining salt and pepper, then sauté them in batches for 45 to 60 seconds per side, until bronze at the edges and cooked through to 160°F (71°C). Transfer them immediately to absorbent paper. If they begin shedding fat before they colour, the pan is too cool; lift them out, wipe the pan, heat it properly, and continue.

8. 8

   Fill and serve

   Set the warm timbale crust on a warm round platter, using a folded clean napkin beneath it if you wish to retain the source's presentation. Arrange the eight suprêmes inside, separating each with a freshly sautéed foie gras collop. Give the cullis one final gentle stir off the heat, then pour it into the timbale so it flows between the pieces without drowning the decorated rim. Carry it straight to the table while the crust is crisp and the sauce still gleams. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Woodcock is protected and cannot be sold through ordinary retail channels in many places. Use only legally harvested birds handled according to local game regulations. Another small game bird can follow the method, but it makes a related timbale, not Timbale de Bécasse Metternich.
• •Use preserved black truffle juice from a reputable jar or tin, not synthetic truffle oil. Mixed with a strong unsalted brown poultry or game stock, it is the honest home equivalent of the truffle essence a working classical kitchen kept ready.
• •Buy fresh whole foie gras intended for cooking. Mousse, pâté, and torchon cannot replace the collops because they will melt into the cullis instead of standing between the suprêmes.
• •The medium sieve followed by damp cheesecloth is essential. The first removes the bones, while the second gives the cullis its smooth body. If you feel grit, strain again.
• •A mature red Burgundy or a restrained northern Rhône red suits the woodland depth of the woodcock and truffle. Keep the wine supple rather than heavily tannic, because foie gras makes hard tannins taste harsher.

Advance Preparation

• •The pastry dough can be mixed up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Let it soften only until it can be rolled without cracking.
• •The timbale crust can be baked up to 4 hours ahead and held uncovered at room temperature. Warm it for 8 minutes at 200°F (95°C) before filling.
• •Combine the stock and truffle juice earlier in the day, but roast the birds, pound the cullis, and sauté the foie gras close to serving. The filled crust cannot wait without losing its crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)