Servings: 12-16
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Make-ahead: 5 days
Minimum wait time: 26 hours
Preheat the oven to 165 °C (325 °F). Line the bottom and the sides of a bread pan, approximately 13 cm x 23 cm (5” x 9”) with bacon slices, letting them hang over the edges of the pan. Set aside.
In a food processor, grind the duck breasts, onion, cognac and the eggs until it is a smooth filling which still has small pieces of duck. Do not overgrind it, as you do not want it to become ground meat.
Transfer the meat to a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, then add this mixture in the bread pan.
Cover the pâté with the bacon slices hanging over the sides, then shake the pan a few times to distribute the pâté evenly. Cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil and put the pan in a deep ovenproof dish and pour 2.5 cm (1”) of hot water into it.
Put everything into the oven and cook the pâté for 60 minutes.
Remove the pâté from the oven and let it cool for 2 hours before covering it with a weight (like two food cans) and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove the pâté from the pan by flipping it over on a decorative wooden board and serve immediately. Serve with thin slices of toasted baguette and condiments of choice.
Preservation
Well sealed and unopened: 10 days in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer
Opened: 7 days
Recipe developed by Nicolas Vallée, professional chef