Pate de Foie Gras en Croute

Pate de Foie Gras en Croute
Recipe by Dragon

The 9th course on Titanic's 1st class menu was called the "Cold" course and consisted of Pate de Foie Gras. The book did not provide a recipe for this course but it described the pate being served 'en croute' meaning covered with pastry. I spent the most time on this dish; researching, developing, asking questions and preparing. I made 5 different versions of a pate de foie gras en croute before creating this recipe. I adore this dish....the flavours, the textures and a killer pastry all work together to make magic. Enjoy!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups cold butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cold water

Pate Filling:
300 gr veal, ground
300 gr pork, ground
1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1/2 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons madeira
1 large egg
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup slivered almonds
150 gr foie gras cut into 4 pieces

Egg Wash: 1 egg, beaten with a little water

Directions:
1. Dough: Whisk flour and salt together. Cut in butter until you develop fine crumbs. Whisk together egg yolks, sour cream and water together in a bowl. Drizzle over flour mixing with folk and pressing with your hands until it forms a dough (don't over mix). Divide dough in half, press each into a rectangle shape. Wrap each one in cling wrap. Chill for an hour.

2. Combine all pate filling ingredients and mix well.

3. Preheat oven to 325F. Roll out half the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Trim into a rectangle 13 x 8 inches (keep the trimmings to use for decorating the top of the pastry). Spread half the filling on the bottom and mould into a mound. Add the foie in a line to the center of the mound. Top with remain filling to cover the foie. Brush the edges with the egg wash.

4. Roll out the other dough and cut into a rectangle that is 16 x 11 inches. Cover the filling with this dough. Tuck the dough snugly around the filling. Trim and seal the edges with the tynes of a fork.

5. Decorate the top of the pastry with dough trimmings and cut 2 small holes on the top to allow for ventilation (hold open with foil). Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining egg wash.

6. Bake until internal temperature is 160F (about an hour). Cover with foil if the dough is browning too much.

7. Let cool to room temperature before serving. This allows the filling to set.