How to make: duck foie gras with melon salad, mashed potato and brioche

Michelin-trained chef Romain van Durmen, who runs the Chef’s Palette cooking classes at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai, shows us how to make a four-in-one dish in just under 30 minutes

Romain van Durmen. Courtesy Fairmont The Palm

Ingredients:

For the salad

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 pieces star anise

Pinch of sugar

Quarter of a melon, cut in cubes

80 grams celery, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch coriander, finely chopped

For the mash

150g mashed potato

100g cream

40g butter

Salt and pepper to taste

For the brioche

3 tbsp olive oil

4 slices brioche

1 clove garlic

20g butter

2 sprigs of thyme

For the foie gras

4 cuts of duck foie gras

2 cloves garlic

3 sprigs of thyme

Method:

• Salad
• Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil and add onions and garlic.
• Add 1 tbsp oil on top and cook until light brown.
• Stir in the star anise and add sugar to help caramelise the onions. Cook for one minute.
• Add the melon, celery, salt and pepper, and let it rest. Add coriander just before serving.
• Mashed potato
• Put the mash over low heat.
• Add the cream and butter, stirring slowly but continuously.
• Once you've achieved a thick liquid consistency, add salt and pepper, then bring to a slow bubble.
• Take the pan off the gas and blend the creamed mash potato, using a hand blender to get rid of lumps.

Brioche

• Heat the oil and place the brioche slices in a flat pan.
• Cook both sides to get a golden-brown colouration.
• Halfway through, add the crushed garlic, butter and thyme in the pan for added flavour.

Foie gras

• Sprinkle the meat with salt and black pepper.
• Place the meat in a well-heated pan, and allow it to cook in its own juices. Sear both sides until the skin is dark brown and crisp.
• Add the crushed garlic and thyme sprigs to the pan, and cook for a few minutes or until the meat is cooked through the centre.
• To plate, place the salad in the centre, with the foie gras on top, and then the mashed potato and brioche on the side.

The cheat sheet

• Remove the star anise before serving the salad, so you or your guests don't bite into it by mistake.
• Always use black pepper instead of white, even in mashed potato, as this has more flavour. If you have peppercorns, roast them for a few minutes before using.
• Don't overcook the melon, in order to retain its freshness. Just wait for the water that the fruit gives out to get caramelised and remove it from the heat.
• To get the best flavour from the garlic, crush it with the butt of a knife and use the blade to make a paste.

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