Mix and match for New Year's Eve

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For the upcoming New Year's celebration, master chef Eric Mommejac from three-star hotel and four-star restaurant Le Lion d'Or in Quercy, France, shares his recipe for pan-fried duck liver with mascarpone polenta and caper sauce (photo below left) for a main course.

For dessert, try a delicious bread pudding with a hint of cinnamon (photo below right), prepared by pastry chef Kersten Fey from J.W. Marriot hotel Jakarta.

Pan-fried duck liver served with mascarpone polenta and caper sauce

Pan-fried duck liver: * 4 pcs 50-gram duck liver * Salt and pepper

For the polenta: * 100g polenta * 50g mascarpone * 200ml milk * 200ml cream * 10g instant chicken stock

For the caper sauce: * 10ml pureed capers * 20g shallots * 10ml Port wine * 50ml duck stock * 15g butter * Salt and pepper

For the garnish: * 15g capers * 20ml oil * 50g crispy duck skin * 40g grated cantal cheese (Makes 4 servings)

1. To make the polenta: boil the milk and season with instant chicken stock. Add in polenta and stir until smooth and even (add some water if too thick). Add the mascarpone and stir until well combined. 2. To make the caper sauce: stir fry the shallots in butter. Pour in the pureed capers and port wine, stir until well mixed. Add in the duck stock and stir gently until the sauce slightly reduces. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper. 3. For the garnishes: - Blanch the capers in cold water. Drain and fry in hot oil until crispy. Set aside. - Chop the duck skin and cook in the oven until crispy. Set aside. - To make cantal cheese sheet: grate the cheese. Spread the grated cheese in a non stick pan and cook until slightly brown on both sides. Remove the cheese sheet from the pan and carefully bend it using a bottle. Set aside. 4. To make the pan-fried duck liver: heat a nonstick pan and fry the seasoned liver on both sides. Remove from heat and discard excess fat. 5. To serve it: scoop the polenta on a serving dish, place the duck liver in the center and drizzle with caper sauce. Garnish with fried caper, duck skin and cantal cheese tuiles. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon bread flan with plum sauce

For the bread flan: * 150g white toast bread * 200ml hot milk * 45g granulated sugar * 10g cinnamon powder * 3 egg yolks

For the sauce: * 80g granulated sugar * 10 black plums * 40g water * 4g cinnamon powder

1. Cut the bread into chunks and place in china coffee cups. 2. In a bowl, mix hot milk, sugar, cinnamon and egg yolks. Pour the milk mixture over the bread chunks and bake at 140 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes. 3. To make the sauce: wash the plums, remove the seeds and cut into 8 pieces. 4. In a pan, combine sugar, cinnamon and water and bring to a boil. Add the plum pieces and let simmer for eight minutes to 10 minutes or until the plums are soft. Pour it into a sauce dish. 5. In a serving dish, carefully unmold the bread flan and serve together with the sauce. Serve cold.

-- Maria Endah Hulupi