Name: Bar Rochford’s duck liver pâté with rhubarb compote and fennel salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 500 gm duck livers, cleaned and trimmed; 500 ml (2 cups) milk; 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil; ½ onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves; Finely grated zest of 1 orange; 2 thyme sprigs; 100 gm unsalted butter; 1 tbsp Cognac or brandy; 1½ tbsp raspberry vinegar; 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin, fronds reserved to serve; 3 tsp lemon juice; 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Toasted pistachio nuts and grilled bread, to serve; Rhubarb compote; 200 gm caster sugar; Juice of 1 orange; 1 cinnamon quill; 4 cloves; 1 tsp finely ground black peppercorns; 5 rhubarb stalks, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths

“A rustic pâté, no temperature control or sous-vide required,” says Louis Couttoupes of Canberra’s Bar Rochford. “It’s all done with pans and a blender.” Begin two days ahead to soak the liver and chill the mixture.

Ingredients

500 gm duck livers, cleaned and trimmed

500 ml (2 cups) milk

80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil

½ onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

2 thyme sprigs

100 gm unsalted butter

1 tbsp Cognac or brandy

1½ tbsp raspberry vinegar

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin, fronds reserved to serve

3 tsp lemon juice

1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Toasted pistachio nuts and grilled bread, to serve

Rhubarb compote

200 gm caster sugar

Juice of 1 orange

1 cinnamon quill

4 cloves

1 tsp finely ground black peppercorns

5 rhubarb stalks, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths

Method

1.Soak duck livers in milk in a non-reactive bowl in the refrigerator overnight to remove blood. Drain (discard liquid), and pat dry with paper towels.

2.Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add onion and garlic and stir occasionally until very soft, but not browned (20-25 minutes). Add orange zest, thyme and butter and stir until butter has melted. Transfer to a bowl and return pan to high heat. When pan is smoking, add livers and cook, turning, until golden but still rare (1½-2 minutes each side). Add Cognac and flambé to burn off alcohol. Discard thyme, Place onion mixture and livers in a food processor, add vinegar and a pinch of salt, and process until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (6-8 hours).

3.For compote, combine sugar, orange juice, spices and 200ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Strain syrup over rhubarb in a heatproof bowl and stand until tender (20-30 minutes). Drain, reserving syrup, then transfer to a food processor and process until very smooth, loosening with reserved syrup if needed. Pass through a fine sieve (optional).

4.Dress fennel with lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Divide among plates with pâté and rhubarb compote and serve with pistachios, fennel fronds and grilled bread.

Drink suggestion: A floral white-blend such as the 2017 Momento Mori “Staring at the Sun”, produced in the Gippsland region of Victoria. Drink suggestion by Nick Smith.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Ingredients

Method

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