1- In a sauté pan reduce to a glaze half a bottle of an Echezeaux or a great Burgundy with lemon zest then set aside.
2- You have to roast beautiful undrawn woodcocks well larded for about fifteen minutes to keep them rare then remove them. Salt and pepper.
3- In this sauté pan add a little butter and brown bread croutons and keep them warm.
4- Remove with a spoon the intestines of the woodcocks, chop them finely adding 100 g of foie gras purée and 100 g of softened butter salt and pepper from the mill.
5- Remove the fillets and thighs of your woodcocks then arrange them carefully in the sauté pan containing the Burgundy glaze, heat gently, add about a dozen centilitres of fine Napoleon or Champagne, then flambé them.
6- Quickly decant the fillets then let the thighs cook a little longer cut them in 2 then arrange on a plate each half woodcock on a crouton surrounded by its lards and the heads split in 2.
7- Pour into your sauté pan the mixture of intestines and foie gras and heat until you have a light sauce consistency then strain this marvel through fine cheesecloth over the woodcocks.
Serve as a garnish either potato chips, soufflé potatoes, cocotte potatoes "in a nest" or waffle potatoes.
Here is this exceptional recipe that I entrust to you so that it continues to live.
Patrick Asfaux 1st commis
Chef Marc Soustelle
Lucas-Carton 1966
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