Puff Pastry with Duck Breast, Porcini Mushrooms, Apple Chips, and Foie Gras Foam

Puff Pastry with Duck Breast, Porcini Mushrooms, Apple Chips, and Foie Gras Foam

Country / Region

  • Country: France

  • Region: Southwest / Nouvelle-Aquitaine / Périgord (region known for foie gras, porcini mushrooms, duck breast)

  • Official status of main ingredient or recipe: none (neither AOP, IGP, nor Label Rouge for this complete assembly)

  • Recipe inventor: Original idea by Hill Cottage


Specifications

Main Ingredients

  • Pure butter puff pastry

  • Duck breast (magret)

  • Fresh porcini mushrooms

  • Firm apples (Pink Lady, Gala…)

  • Semi-cooked foie gras (or poultry livers prepared like foie gras)

  • Whole liquid cream 35% fat

  • Fig (fresh or dried)

  • Salt, pepper, sugar, butter, neutral oil

  • Optional: truffle essence, port wine, or balsamic vinegar


History

Origin of the Recipe

This type of assembly fits within the French gastronomic tradition, where noble products from the Southwest (foie gras, duck breast, porcini mushrooms) are combined with modern techniques (foam, vertical plating). It likely originated as a contemporary evolution of prestige dishes served in fine dining restaurants.

Evolution of the Recipe

  • Ingredients: increased use of foams / modern mousses, influence from molecular or contemporary cuisine.

  • Cooking: introduction of low-temperature or sous-vide cooking for the duck breast to better control doneness and achieve consistently pink meat.

  • Usage: today served as a signature dish in gourmet restaurants rather than a family dish.

Iconic Chefs and Contributions

  • Alain Ducasse – highlighting foie gras, precision in cooking, visual refinement.

  • Paul Bocuse – tradition, careful plating, work with sauces and noble garnishes.

  • Michel Bras / Pierre Gagnaire – influence of contrasting textures, inclusion of modern elements like mousses, foams, and artistic plating.

Legend or Anecdote

It is said that in some Périgord inns, after the porcini harvest, apples were confited to feed late guests, and later a Parisian chef had the idea to pair these confited apples with duck breast and foie gras to create a “bite of terroir and luxury.”
Anecdote: the word espuma, of Spanish origin, popularized by Ferran Adrià, became integrated into many French gastronomic kitchens in the 21st century.


Recipe Description

Composition

  • Crispy puff pastry base

  • Pink duck breast

  • Raw / lightly sautéed porcini shavings

  • Crispy apple chips

  • Foie gras foam

  • Confit fig for finishing

Texture

  • Crunchy: pastry, chips

  • Melting: duck breast, porcini mushrooms

  • Foamy: espuma

  • Sweet: apple, fig

Flavor

  • Rich and indulgent: duck breast, foie gras

  • Woody: porcini

  • Fruity-sweet: apple, fig

  • Subtle truffle aroma depending on the foam version

Serving Method

  • Individual plating, hot plate, vertical or structured presentation

  • Serve immediately after assembly to preserve textures and temperature

Occasion

  • Starter or main course in a gourmet menu, for festive meals or special occasions


Ingredients

Ingredient Quantity Approx. Weight (g)
Pure butter puff pastry 1 disc 80-100
Duck breast (magret) 1 breast 200-220
Porcini mushrooms (fresh) slices 30-40
Firm apples (Pink Lady or Gala) 1-2 apples 100-120
Semi-cooked foie gras 150 g 150
Whole cream 35% fat 200 ml 200
Fig 1
Truffle essence (optional) a few drops
Fine salt, white or black pepper to taste
Butter / neutral oil for cooking 10-15
Fig (fresh or dried) 1 fig 30-40
Icing sugar / granulated sugar for chips + fig 5-10

Note: Regional or modern variations possible (replace fig with local fruit, use rehydrated dried porcini, flavor the foam differently, adjust duck breast cooking according to tradition or low temperature).


Detailed Preparation

Preparation Steps

Puff Pastry Base

  • Roll out pastry to ~3 mm

  • Cut 8-10 cm discs

  • Prick the pastry to prevent rising

  • Optional: glaze with egg yolk

  • Bake between two trays at 200 °C for 12-15 min

  • Cool on a wire rack

Confited Apple Chips

  • Slice firm apples very thin (~1 mm)

  • Place on tray lined with parchment paper

  • Lightly dust with icing sugar

  • Bake at 90-100 °C for 1.5–2 h

  • Cool in air and store airtight

Duck Breast

Option A – Traditional Cooking

  • Score skin in a grid, season with salt and pepper

  • Sear skin side 6-8 min, flip 1-2 min

  • Finish in oven 120-130 °C for 5-8 min

  • Rest 5 min before slicing

Option B – Low Temperature Sous-Vide Cooking

  • Score and season

  • Vacuum-seal, cook at 54-56 °C for 1.5–2 h

  • Dry skin, sear quickly 1-2 min

  • Rest 2 min before slicing

Slicing the Duck Breast

  • Let rest

  • Slice thinly on the diagonal, thicker than porcini slices

Porcini Mushrooms

  • Cut into thin slices

  • Heat pan with a splash of oil and butter

  • Cook 3-4 min, season with salt and pepper

  • Drain on paper towel

Foie Gras Foam

  • Heat cream to near boiling

  • Add foie gras (+ port/cognac, truffle essence)

  • Blend finely, strain

  • Pour into siphon, charge with 1 gas cartridge

  • Chill at least 2 h before serving

Confit Fig

  • Slightly score if fresh

  • Heat butter + sugar in pan 5-8 min

  • (Optional) Deglaze with port or balsamic vinegar


Cutting Techniques

  • Duck breast: thin diagonal slices

  • Porcini: thin slices

  • Apple: very thin chips (~1 mm)

Aging / Specific Treatments

  • Rest duck breast after cooking

  • Slow dehydration for apple chips

  • Chill foam to stabilize

Cooking Methods and Equipment

  • Dry heat oven for puff pastry (200 °C)

  • Pan for duck breast and porcini

  • Mandoline for thin slicing

  • Thermometer for duck (54-56 °C center)

  • Siphon for foam

  • Trays, racks, precision utensils


Vertical Plating – From Bottom to Top

  1. Base: 8-10 cm puff pastry disc, 3 mm thick

  2. Duck and porcini rosette: thin duck slices, intercalated porcini slices

  3. Apple chips: insert 2-3 chips angled between slices

  4. Foie gras foam: pipe in the center of the rosette

  5. Confit fig: place on top of foam

Expected Result

  • Elegant, centered vertical construction

  • Each component visible and identifiable

  • Balance between rustic terroir and gastronomic refinement


Tips and Advice

  • If foie is unavailable, use poultry livers

  • Measure pastry thickness and oven temperature accurately

  • Do not overcook duck breast

  • Strain foam and respect chilling time

  • Variation: replace fig with pear or seasonal fruit, truffle essence with a milder aroma

Common Mistakes

  • Apple chips still moist

  • Duck breast overcooked

  • Foam collapsed if siphon/gas incorrectly used


Service

  • Gastronomic plating, individual plate, structured/vertical style

  • Accompaniments: small green salad, country bread or toasted brioche, gel or red wine/balsamic reduction


Recommended Wines and Beverages

  • Wines: powerful yet elegant red wine (Bordeaux, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Cahors, Côtes du Rhône)

  • Other beverages: mineral water, artisanal apple or pear juice, light herbal infusion (thyme, rosemary)

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