First, prepare the foie gras. Remove the vein that connects the two lobes and the small yellow spot (bile), which would otherwise make the whole dish bitter. Separate the foie gras into two halves.

Next, prepare the zest and marmalade. Cut off the tops and bottoms of all the citrus fruits, stand them upright, and carefully remove the zest without touching the white pith (it’s bitter).

If any pith remains, trim it off. Slice out the citrus segments along the membranes and collect in separate bowls, squeezing out any juice. Dice the zest and simmer it in its own juice for each fruit separately, adding a little salt, sugar, and the chopped peppers.

For seasoning, finely chop black peppercorns and long Indonesian pepper, then season the foie gras with salt and pepper. Heat a dry skillet (no oil needed, the liver has enough fat) and sear the foie gras on one side until golden brown. Flip and cook for just 5–7 seconds on the other side for a light sear. Keep the rendered duck fat for the marmalade.

Arrange lemon tree leaves in a cocotte dish or on a baking tray, place the seared foie gras on top, add more leaves and the zest. Preheat the oven to 200 °C, cover with foil, and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the marmalade: in the pan with the duck fat, cook the citrus segments over medium heat with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes. For garnish, reduce balsamic vinegar by half to make a thick glaze (store-bought balsamic glaze isn’t ideal as it contains caramel and sweeteners that overpower the flavor).

To serve: spoon the citrus marmalade onto the plate as a base, place the foie gras on top, and garnish with candied zest and lemon leaves.

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