Pithiviers Royal: Canard Confit, Morilles et Foie Gras en Croûte Dorée

Begin by rehydrating the dried morel mushrooms. Place them in a bowl and cover with 200ml of hot water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain the morels, reserving the soaking liquid. Rinse the morels thoroughly to remove any grit, then finely chop them.

Remove the duck confit legs from their fat. Gently warm them if necessary to easily separate the meat from the bones and skin. Shred the duck meat finely, discarding bones and excess skin. Set aside.

Cut the de-veined foie gras into 1cm cubes and set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 15g of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the finely minced shallots and cook gently until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

Add the chopped morels to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, allowing them to release their aromas. Deglaze the pan with the cognac or brandy, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the alcohol to cook off for 1 minute.

Pour in the reserved morel soaking liquid (strained through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any grit) and the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until the sauce slightly thickens.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the shredded duck confit. Season generously with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Once cool, gently fold in the chilled foie gras cubes.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a circle approximately 28cm (11 inches) in diameter. Place this circle onto the prepared baking sheet.

Mound the cooled duck and morel filling onto the center of the pastry circle, leaving a 3-4cm (1.5-inch) border around the edge. Ensure the foie gras cubes are evenly distributed.

Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry into a circle approximately 30cm (12 inches) in diameter. Lightly brush the pastry border around the filling with the beaten egg.

Carefully place the larger pastry circle over the filling, aligning the edges. Gently press down around the filling to seal the two pastry sheets together, expelling any air. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges firmly.

Trim any excess pastry from the edges to create a neat, perfectly round pithiviers. Beat the remaining egg with a teaspoon of water for the egg wash. Brush the entire surface of the pithiviers generously with the egg wash.

Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score a decorative spiral pattern from the center outwards on the top of the pithiviers, being careful not to cut through the pastry. Make a small hole (about 1cm) in the very center to allow steam to escape during baking.

Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown and puffed, and the filling is heated through.

Remove the Pithiviers Royal from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, perhaps with a simple green salad or a light jus.