Duck Liver Parfait with a Mulberry Gastrique

You will need real butter and great bread for this dish.

1 kg duck liver 
300 g real butter 
500 g onions 
Brandy 
50 g garlic 
500 g mulberries – in season here so hence using them
100 ml balsamic vinegar 
100 g Sugar 

Simple simple simple 
But you need to soak 

Take out the sinew of the duck livers and soak in water. Change the water and take out any bloodlines in the livers- Do this every 20 minutes and do it 5 times. Dry your livers.

Slice and dice your onions. Fry in 100g butter, no colour just soft, add garlic and drain. Keep the flavored butter, and don’t clean the pan!

Heat the pan add the dried duck livers and fry. Do not turn them, or move them. Add a little butter, if you want the flavor, and the umami slightly brown on one side then flambe with the brandy. Do not do this in a nylon wizard hat! Remove and strain. Do this until all livers are cooked.

Add to a blender hot and blend with the butter. If you are looking for a thick mousse-type consistency, think Angel Delight. Put in a bowl and add the remaining melted butter. Stir and season. Pour into a plastic tub and don’t cover and put in the fridge for 12 hours.

A good gastrique is syrupy, sweet, sour, and shiny.

Bring the mulberries to a simmer with a little water, and cook till soft. Blend and sieve out the seeds. Add to a saucepan again with sugar and vinegar and slowly reduce to a glossy syrup. Don’t rush this as it will burn and you will kick my ass.

Chill in a squeezy chef bottle. This and the parfait can last 2 weeks in the fridge so that’s 14 dinner parties 

Quenelle and serve on a pool of gastrique, a chicken skin wafer, and melba toast. Crack some salt and pepper and you are away chefs!