Ingredients for the Known Ground reconstruction
Ingredient amounts shown for 8 servings.
Known Ground reconstruction
- 2whole pheasants, poêled to 165°F and cooled
- 4 ozfresh black truffle, thinly sliced; divided
- 1 lbraw pheasant mousseline forcemeat, truffle-scented
- 6 ozfoie gras, diced
- 6 ozsmall mushrooms, cooked
- 4 ozpheasant minion fillets, poached and diced
- 3/4 cupdemi-glace, reduced with pheasant fumet
- 2 tbspunsalted butter, for mold
- kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
Known Ground reconstruction
A rounded ovenproof bowl replaces the low bombe mold. The interior ragout is chilled before assembly so it does not prematurely soften the raw forcemeat lining. This version has not been personally tested by Known Ground. Cook the bird and any poultry forcemeat to 165°F (74°C) in its thickest portion.
Instructions
1. Raise the breast suprêmes from the cooled poêled pheasants and cut them into even aiguillettes. Butter a 2-quart rounded ovenproof bowl and line it diagonally with alternating aiguillettes and half the truffle slices.
2. Cover the lining with a layer of truffle-scented raw pheasant forcemeat.
3. Combine foie gras, mushrooms, poached minion fillets, and remaining truffle with enough reduced game-fumet demi-glace to bind; chill completely, fill the center, and cover with remaining forcemeat.
4. Cover the mold and poach in a 325°F water bath for about 40 minutes, continuing until the centre reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest 10 minutes and unmold.
Historical source
Quantities, yield, timings, and home-kitchen sequencing below are a modern, untested adaptation built around Escoffier’s named preparation and comparable game-bird technique; they are not original Escoffier measurements.
Le Guide Culinaire — Relevés et entrées de gibier, pp. 895–953.
Updated since publication
Last revised 8/21/2026. Evidence and limitations should be interpreted as described in the article.
Discussion
Comments are moderated before appearing here. Keep it useful, specific, and civil.
No approved comments yet. Be the first to add something useful.