|
Fresh Foie Gras with Port Wine Aspic
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- About 1 1/2 pounds fresh Grade A foie gras (1 fattened duck liver)
Seasoning Mixture
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons good cognac
Port Wine Aspic
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green of leeks
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped carrot
- 2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh chervil
- 1 large sprig tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 egg white from a large egg
- 2 cups good white stock (see White Stock, page 15)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons good port wine
- 1 small truffle, sliced and cut into julienne strips (optional)
- Bread or brioche (see Brioche Mousseline, page 288)
Soak the foie gras, still vacuum-sealed in plastic, in tepid water for about 1 hour to soften.
Following the illustrations, remove the liver from the plastic. You will notice that it has two lobes. Separate by breaking these lobes apart, and remove and discard as much of the sinews, veins, and gristle running through the liver as possible, pushing inside the meat with your thumb or index finger to dislodge them. (Don't worry if the liver is broken into several pieces; it will still join together during cooking. However, when the foie gras is to be sliced and sautéed,
it is best to slice it before cleaning, then remove the pieces of sinew from the slices afterward.)
If any part of the foie gras appears greenish, it probably means that the gallbladder has broken and run slightly onto it. This liquid is extremely bitter, and any green areas should be sliced off and discarded. Dry the foie gras with paper towels.
For the seasoning mixture: Mix the salt, sugar, pepper, and gelatin together in a small bowl, and sprinkle it and the cognac on the foie gras. Push some of the large pieces of foie gras tightly into a glass or porcelain terrine about the same size as the liver (3 inches deep and with a 3-to-4-cup capacity). Arrange smaller pieces of foie gras on top, in the center, and cover with the remaining larger pieces, pressing the liver into a tight block in the terrine.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Cover the terrine with a piece of plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil, securing it tightly around the edges. Place the terrine in a roasting pan, and add enough tepid water to the pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the outside of the terrine. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the foie gras reaches an internal temperature of about 120 degrees.
Cut a piece of cardboard to fit on top of the foie gras in the terrine, and wrap the cardboard in aluminum foil. Place the cardboard on top of the foie gras, and add a weight of about 1 pound. Let cool, refrigerated, overnight. The weight will press any extra fat out of the foie gras.
The following day, remove the weight, and scrape off the surface fat, which can be used to sauté vegetables or added to sauces for flavor. Serve as suggested in the photograph on page 247, or make the aspic as follows. Make sure the foie gras is cleaned of all surface fat and is flat. Press on it with plastic wrap, if need be. Sprinkle the truffle strips on top.
To make the aspic: Put the leeks, celery, carrot, chervil, tarragon, pepper, salt, and gelatin into a saucepan, then add the egg white, stirring to mix well. Bring the stock to a boil in a separate saucepan, and add it
to the aspic mixture, stirring to combine well. Cook over high heat, stirring, until it comes to a strong boil, then stop stirring, remove from the heat, and set aside, undisturbed, for about 15 minutes.
Strain the aspic through a cloth towel into a saucepan. There should be about 3 cups.
Let cool to lukewarm, and add the port wine. Cool until aspic is syrupy, then pour a layer about 1?2 inch thick on top of the truffles and foie gras in the terrine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
To serve: Cut the foie gras with a knife, and dish out one slice per person along with some of the aspic on top. Serve with a slice of bread or brioche and, if possible, a glass of Château d'Yquem.
|
