Pithiviers de Canard Sauvage et Foie Gras, Nectar de Cerises Noires au Thym Citronné

Prepare the Duck Confit (if not pre-made): Rub duck legs with sea salt, crushed peppercorns, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Rinse duck legs thoroughly under cold water and pat very dry. Melt duck fat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Submerge duck legs in the melted fat. Cook on very low heat (barely simmering) for 2-3 hours, or until very tender. Let cool in the fat, then remove duck, shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Reserve some duck fat and stock. You will need 200g of shredded duck confit for the filling.

Prepare the Pithiviers Filling: In a small pan, sauté minced shallot and chopped wild mushrooms in a teaspoon of reserved duck fat until softened. Deglaze with brandy and cook until evaporated. In a bowl, combine the shredded duck confit, sautéed shallots and mushrooms, chopped parsley, and lemon thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the cubed foie gras.

Assemble the Pithiviers: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll out the puff pastry into two circles, one slightly larger than the other (approximately 25cm and 23cm diameter). Place the smaller pastry circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mound the duck and foie gras filling in the center, leaving a 3cm border.

Seal and Decorate: Brush the pastry border with egg wash. Carefully place the larger pastry circle over the filling. Press down firmly around the edges to seal, ensuring no air is trapped. Trim edges neatly with a sharp knife. Crimp the edges decoratively using the back of a knife or your fingers. Make a small hole in the center for steam to escape. Using the back of a knife, lightly score a spiral or sunburst pattern from the center hole outwards, being careful not to cut through the pastry.

Bake the Pithiviers: Brush the entire surface with egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, and the filling is hot. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Prepare the Black Cherry Nectar: While the Pithiviers bakes, combine pitted black cherries, red wine, duck stock, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and lemon thyme sprigs in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, crushing cherries slightly, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly to a nectar-like consistency. Remove lemon thyme sprigs. Season with a pinch of salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother sauce, pressing on solids to extract all liquid, or leave as is for a rustic texture. Keep warm.

Serve: Let the Pithiviers rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve immediately with a generous drizzle of the Black Cherry Nectar.