Eckart Witzigmann’s Chartreuse of Pigeon in Madeira Aspic

Ingredients

For the Chartreuse 

• 1 oven-ready pigeon (approx. 450g)
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Clarified butter
• 100ml pigeon jus
• 10ml each port, Madeira and cognac, reduced by half
• 2 juniper berries
• 1 sprig thyme
• Half a bay leaf
• 10ml truffle stock and/or jus
• 30g raw goose liver
• 1 sheet gelatine
• 150g whipped cream
• 4 slices brioche, approx. 8cm in diameter
• 4 slices goose liver parfait
• 30g sliced truffles

For the Madeira Aspic

• 300g beef shank
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk leek
• 1 quarter of a celery bulb
• 2 onions
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Half a bay leaf
• 2 egg whites
• Salt
• Pepper
• 100ml white wine
• 500ml Madeira
• 800ml strong beef stock
• 1 small calf’s foot
• 4 sheets gelatine

For the Vegetables

• 1 small celery bulb
• 2 small carrots
• 100g Kenya green beans
• Salt

For the Périgord vinaigrette

• 10ml Xérès vinegar
• 10ml balsamic vinegar
• 20ml grape seed oil
• 20ml olive oil
• 10ml nut oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 10g black truffles, finely sliced
• 2tbs pine nuts, lightly roasted
• 4 small salad bouquets of tender leaf lettuces
• Chervil

Method

For the Madeira Aspic

1. Run the beef shank through a meat grinder. Set aside.
2. Cut vegetables into small cubes.
3. Add vegetable cubes, spices, egg whites, salt and a few ice cubes to the ground meat.
4. Place mixture in a pot and cool for about 1 hour.
5. Put pot on the stove and add white wine, Madeira and the cold, degreased beef stock. Stir thoroughly and then add the blanched and rinsed calf’s foot.
6. Heat very slowly until nearly boiling, then simmer for approx. 1 ½ hours.
7. Pour through a strainer and stir in the soaked and thoroughly squeezed gelatine.

Note: The ingredients yield more aspic than is needed for the Chartreuse.

For the Chartreuse

1. Season the pigeon and sear in oil on all sides.
2. Place in roasting pan and cook in preheated oven (220 degrees Celsius) for 15-20 minutes until pink.
3. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
4. Separate the breast and leg meat and set aside one breast for garnishing.
5. Braise thee pigeon bones in clarified butter, then add the pigeon jus.
6. Reduce by one half and gradually add the reduced alcohol, the spices and the truffle jus.
7. Simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.
8. Pour into strainer and let drain. The consistency of the stock should be that of a slightly thickened sauce.
9. Place the raw goose liver into the hot stock and poach gently until cooked. The temperature of the liquid must not exceed 60 degrees Celsius.
10. Run the meat of the pigeon legs and one breast through the meat grinder and then place into blender.
11. Add stock and blend to a fine purée, then pass through a fine strainer.
12. Add the gelatine (soaked in cold water and thoroughly squeezed), pour mousse into a bowl and leave to chill.
13. Wait until the mousse has slightly thickened, then season to taste and gently fold in the whipped cream (not too stiff) and set in a cool place to chill.
14. Peel celery and carrots, cut into 3 cm slices with a food slicer and then cut into even-sized sticks.
15. Clean and trim green beans to the required length. Blanch all vegetables in lightly salted water, shock in ice water and then drain.
16. Draw vegetables through the Madeira aspic before placing them into the Chartreuse moulds.

To Finish

1. Line the sides of four moulds (10 cm in diameter and 3 cm high) with the vegetable sticks.
2. Arrange one brioche slice at the bottom of each mould.
3. On top of each brioche slice, place a slice of goose liver parfait and sprinkle with a thin layer of sliced truffles.
4. Spread with a layer of mousse and let thicken slightly.
5. Cut the remaining pigeon breast into slices and decoratively arrange on top of the mousse. Cover with Madeira aspic.
6. Chill in the refrigerator and then carefully remove from moulds when ready to serve.

To Serve:

1. Cut the Chartreuse in half with a sharp knife (dipped into hot water) and place both halves onto a chilled plate.
2. Elegantly drizzle the truffle vinaigrette over the plate and garnish with the salad bouquets.
3. If desired, add a few cubes of the Madeira aspic.

Recipe Courtesy of Eckart Witzigmann.

Image © Helge Kirchberger Photography.