Ingredients
For the garlic breadcrumbs
3 loaves white bread, sliced
15 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
For the duck rillettes
4 duck legs
600g/1lb 5oz duck fat
100g/4oz shallots, finely chopped
250ml/9fl oz white wine
70g/3oz fresh parsley, chopped
6 gelatine leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 slices smoked duck breast
100g/4oz plain flour
1 free-range egg, beaten
For the asparagus soup
olive oil, for frying
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
75g/3oz potatoes, peeled and sliced
350g/12oz Cambridgeshire asparagus, woody ends removed, chopped
1 litre/2 pints white chicken stock
150ml/5fl oz double cream
75g/3oz unsalted butter
2 handfuls baby spinach
salt, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
For the asparagus purée
400g/14oz asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced
40g/1½oz unsalted butter
40g/1½oz double cream, boiled briefly, to thicken
salt, to taste
For the truffle dressing
25ml/1fl oz balsamic vinegar
125ml/5fl oz grape seed oil
50ml/2fl oz olive oil
12ml/½fl oz sherry vinegar
50ml/2fl oz white truffle oil
salt, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
25g/1oz black Périgord truffles, finely chopped
For the asparagus spears and diamonds
8 asparagus spears, woody ends removed
For the duck lardons
1 smoked duck breast
For the crisp hen's egg
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 free-range hens' eggs
4 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
To serve
fresh truffle slices
Specialist equipment
1 Japanese spaghetti mandoline
commercial vacuum pack machine
Method
1. For the garlic breadcrumbs, remove the crusts from the bread slices and cut each slice into four pieces. Place into a large bowl and mix with the garlic, then leave to dry out for 24 hours in a warm place. When the bread is dry, place the bread into a food processor and pulse to fine breadcrumbs. Pass the breadcrumbs through a fine sieve.
2. For the duck rillettes, confit the duck legs by placing them into four vacuum pack bags along with the duck fat. Seal with a commercial vacuum pack machine, then place the bags into a water bath at 64C/147F for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours remove the bags from the water bath and chill until just cool enough to handle. Remove the duck legs from the bags. Pick the meat from the bone of the duck whilse it's warm, discard any bones and skin and keep the meat quite chunky. Pour off the fat and juices and set aside to cool.
4. In a small saucepan, add the shallots and white wine and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the shallots are softened and the wine has reduced. Stir in the parsley, then mix with the picked duck meat.
5. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Put 100ml/4fl oz of the fat from the reserved duck juices into a pan, add the gelatine and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Stir in the picked duck meat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Take a rectangular 20cm/8in x 30cm/12in cake tin and place a 2cm/1in layer of the confit duck mixture into the bottom and then cover with a layer of smoked duck slices. Repeat, adding another layer of confit duck mixture and the remaining smoked duck slices. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until the mixture has set.
7. When set, cut into small cubes and lightly dust with flour, then dip into the beaten egg and coat with the garlic bread crumbs. Rest the coated duck rillettes for 30 seconds, then repeat the coating process.
8. For the asparagus soup, heat the oil in a pan, then sweat the sliced onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes, or until softened, then add the sliced potato and sweat for another minute. Add the chopped asparagus and stock, then boil for 6-7 minutes. Stir in the double cream and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
9. Take the pan off the heat, melt in the butter and stir in spinach until wilted, then blend with a stick blender until smooth. Pass the soup through a sieve, season with salt and lemon juice to taste, then pass the soup again through a sieve into a bowl. Chill until needed.
10. For the asparagus purée, cook the sliced asparagus in a pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until soft. Drain, then squeeze out any excess water. Place into a food processor with the butter and blend until well combined, then add the cream and blend until smooth. Season with salt, then pass the mixture through a sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
11. For the truffle dressing, blend all of the dressing ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Add salt and lemon juice to taste.
12. For the asparagus spears and diamonds, peel the asparagus stem up to the tips. Cut the tops of the asparagus spears off and blanch in a pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until tender, then chill in a bowl of ice water. Slice the bases of the remaining asparagus spears on a mandoline and cut the slices into diamond shapes. Toss the asparagus spears and diamonds in a bowl with the truffle dressing until evenly coated.
13. For the duck lardons, slice the duck breast lengthways into ½cm/¼in thick slices, then chop into ½cm/¼in cubes. Blanch the lardons in a pan of boiling water, then drain and chill.
14. For the crisp hen's egg, add the vinegar to a large pan of water and bring to the boil. Crack the eggs into separate bowls, then poach the eggs one at a time until the white is cooked and yolk runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in a bowl of ice water, then drain again. When the eggs are cooled, trim off any excess egg whites to achieve a nice round shape.
15. Push the peeled potato through the spaghetti mandolin and gently dry off any excess moisture from the potato by placing it in a clean tea towel and squeezing gently. Carefully wrap the eggs in the strands of the potato.
16. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fat fryer or in a large, heavy-bottomed pan until the temperature of the oil reaches 180C/350F. Carefully lower the potato-wrapped egg into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
17. Deep-fry the duck rillettes in the vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
18. Heat a frying pan and fry the lardons for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp.
19. To serve, place a small pool of warm asparagus purée in the base of a serving bowl. Place the hen's egg on top of the purée and lay the asparagus spears and diamonds, duck rillette and lardons around the purée. Garnish with fresh truffle slices.
20. Reheat the asparagus soup, then pour into the prepared bowls at the table.
