Foie gras ballotine with ceps, plum purée and brioche

Begin a day in advance. Place the dried ceps on a tray and into a low oven for an hour or 2 to ensure they are completely dry and brittle

Meanwhile, devein the foie gras, ensuring they are all removed. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and use them to marinate the foie gras. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight

Once the ceps are brittle and completely dry, blitz them in a blender into a fine powder. Place in an airtight container

The next day, preheat a fan oven to 55°C. Lift the foie gras out of the marinade and place it on a small tray. Cook the foie gras in the oven for 15 minutes, checking it every 5 minutes – you want it to just warm through and start releasing its fat

Lay out 2 sheets of cling film on a work surface and smooth them down. Drain the foie gras of its fat and slice it in half. Place 1 half of the foie gras in the centre of the cling film, then use a fine sieve to heavily dust it with the cep powder. Place the second half of the foie gras on top, sandwiching the cep powder in the middle

Wrap the foie gras up tightly in the cling film into a sausage shape (it should be around 7cm in diameter, depending on the size of your foie gras). Place it in the fridge to firm up and set

While the ballotine sets, make the plum purée. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the plums start to break down

Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth, then season to taste and pass through a fine sieve. If the purée isn’t thick enough, you can add a little cornflour diluted in cold water and gently cook it for a further 3-5 minutes. Once you’re happy with the taste and texture, reserve in the fridge

Once the ballotine has set, spread the remaining cep powder out onto a tray. Unwrap the ballotine and roll it in the powder, ensuring it is completely coated. Rewrap tightly in cling film and return to the fridge until ready to serve

When ready to serve, take the purée out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Unwrap the ballotine and cut it into 6 slices, around 1.5cm thick. Place each slice on the side of a plate and leave them for at least 5 minutes to come to room temperature

Meanwhile, toast the brioche. It colours quite rapidly due to the sugar content, so keep a close eye on it

Place a spoonful of the plum purée next to the slice of ballotine and serve the toast alongside. Finish by blowtorching the foie gras briefly (just a second or 2) to give it a shine, then serve