Fondants of Thrushes Liège Style

Ingredients

• 12 thrushes (grives)
• 4 juniper berries
• a few drops game stock (fond de gibier)
• a few drops Madeira wine
• one third of the weight of the thrush purée chicken livers, stiffened in butter
• one third of the weight of the thrush purée firm butter

Instructions

1. Roast the thrushes in a casserole, keeping them rare. Deglaze (déglacer) the pan with a few drops of game stock and Madeira wine, adding 4 juniper berries per 12 thrushes.
2. Pound the roasted thrushes and pass through a fine sieve. To this purée add one third of its weight in chicken livers that have been stiffened in butter, along with one third of its weight in firm butter, mixed thoroughly.
3. Form the forcemeat into fondants following the standard method (as explained above). Fry them at the moment of service and crown each with a thrush leg.