Difficulty: Expert
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 qts. spring water
1 cup fleur de sel
4 poussin
salt and pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil, plus 1 tsp.
8 oz. foie gras
2 oz. Armagnac
16 oz. veal stock
2 bunches white asparagus
4 morels, rinsed of sand and sliced into rounds
2 sprigs tarragon, leaves picked and chopped

Directions:

1. Poussin and Garnish: In a large bowl, combine the water and fleur de sel.
   
2. Soak the poussin in the salted water for 5-6 hours.
   
3. Remove poussin from water, dry off and add salt and pepper to skin side only.

1. Preheat oven to 550 degrees F.
   
2. Heat a saute pan and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is just beginning to smoke, place the poussin skin side down in pan.
   
3. Place in a 550 degree F oven for 8 minutes.
   
4. Remove from oven and finish on the stovetop until deep golden brown is achieved
   
5. Remove and set aside, do not wash pan.
   
6. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a saute pan.
   
7. When the pan is hot, sear the foie gras on both sides. When the fois gras is soft to the touch, remove, and set on a plate. It is very important not to burn the fat of the foie gras, so do not get the pan too hot.
   
8. Deglaze the pan with Armagnac.
   
9. Combine the veal stock, foie gras and pan juice and add to the blender.
   
10. Blend on low speed until foie gras is completely incorporated.
    
11. Place in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.
    
12. Remove excess fat from the chicken pan and saute white asparagus and morels in pan.
    
13. Season with fleur de sel, pepper and a pinch of chopped tarragon.

To serve: Place white asparagus and morels on plate, sauce around vegetables, and place poussin on top skin side up.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. Fine Living has not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.