Champagne-Compressed Watermelon

Foie Gras, Seabass Skin, Sturia Caviar, Micro Wasabi

Chef Juan Peña of The Ritz-Carlton | Atlanta
Yield: 10 hors d'oeuvres

---

Adapted by StarChefs | February 2018

INGREDIENTS

Watermelon:
10 pieces diced watermelon
1 cup extra brut Champagne
1 teaspoon salt

Foie Gras Mousse:
Neutral oil
2 ounces thinly sliced shallot
6 ounces cleaned foie gras
¼ cup dry white wine
¾ cup heavy cream
½ tablespoon salt

Crispy Black Seabass Skin:
Skin of 1 black seabass
Salt
Espelette pepper

To Assemble and Serve:
Sunset geranium leaf
Osetra caviar
Micro wasabi

METHOD

For the Watermelon:
In a vacuum bag, combine all ingredients, compress and seal, and refrigerate 24 hours.   

For the Foie Gras Mousse:
In a hot sauté pan with oil, sweat shallots until translucent, add foie gras, and cook 4 minutes. Add wine and cook 4 minutes more. Add cream and salt and cook 4 additional minutes. Transfer to a Vitamix blender and liquify. Transfer liquid to siphon and charge twice; refrigerate.  

For the Crispy Black Seabass Skin:
Heat oven to 415°F. On a sheet tray lined with wax paper, season skin with salt and pepper. Cover with wax paper and two sheet trays. Cook 20 minutes, until crisp; cool. Break into bite-size pieces.  

To Assemble and Serve:
Lay sunset geranium leaves out fl at. Place 1 cube Watermelon on top. Dispense a little Foie Gras Mousse atop each cube, followed by a small dollop caviar and a piece of Crispy Black Seabass Skin. Finish with micro wasabi.

---