Silky Duck Liver Parfait with Roasted Rhubarb and Toasted Sourdough

⏱ 90 min · Serves 8

A properly luxurious parfait — duck livers soaked in Madeira and brandy, blitzed with butter until glossy, then set under a thin layer of clarified butter. The sharp pink rhubarb cuts through all that richness, and craggy toasted sourdough does the rest. Make it a day ahead and it becomes the easiest show-stopping starter you'll ever serve.

Per serving: 612 kcal · 17.5g protein · 28.0g carbs · 47.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g duck livers, trimmed of any green or sinew
• 250ml whole milk (for soaking, optional but recommended)
• 250g unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus 150g extra for the top
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 75ml Madeira
• 50ml brandy
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 300g forced rhubarb, cut into 4cm batons
• 60g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 strip orange zest
• 8 thick slices sourdough
• Flaky sea salt, to serve

Method

1. Soak the trimmed duck livers in the milk for 1 hour in the fridge (this mellows any bitterness), then drain well and pat completely dry.
2. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan. Line a 1kg loaf tin or terrine mould with cling film, leaving an overhang, and sit it in a deep roasting tray.
3. Put the shallots, garlic, thyme, Madeira and brandy in a small pan. Simmer over a medium heat until reduced to about 3 tablespoons of syrupy liquid. Cool slightly.
4. Tip the livers, the reduction, eggs, salt, white pepper and nutmeg into a blender. Blitz for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth, then add the 250g softened butter in batches and blend until glossy.
5. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing with a ladle — this is what makes it silky, don't skip it. Pour into the lined tin.
6. Pour hot water into the roasting tray to come two-thirds up the tin. Cover the whole tray loosely with foil and bake for 40–50 minutes, until the parfait is just set with a slight wobble and reads 62–64C in the centre.
7. Lift out of the water bath, cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
8. Melt the extra 150g butter gently, let it settle, then spoon off the foam and pour the clear golden butter over the chilled parfait, leaving the milky solids behind. Chill again until firm.
9. For the rhubarb, toss the batons with the sugar, vinegar and orange zest in a small baking dish. Roast at 180C/160C fan for 12–15 minutes until tender but still holding shape. Cool completely — the syrup will turn a deep pink.
10. Toast the sourdough until well coloured. Serve generous slices or spoonfuls of parfait with the rhubarb, a drizzle of its syrup, flaky salt and the warm toast.
11. Tip: dip your knife in hot water between slices for clean edges.