So, here is one of my own personal favourites, Pan Fried Duck Foie Gras, even though I am not a big fan of the pate of foie gras, and frankly, I could not have made this any easier for you than I have, by telling you where to pick up the fully prepared ingredients in Paris, France, and then guide you through the simplest of cooking techniques …
… After all, the audience I am addressing, which is likely to have a taste for this dish, comprise those who fly in and out of Paris with great frequency, and they have no further to look than the ‘Grande Epicerie’ section of the Bon Marche department store, located on Rue de Sevres, Paris 75007.
Above top row: Images of the Bon Marche Department store façade
Bottom: Entrance to the Supermarket section
In the Foie Gras cold section of the supermarket, are these wonderful carefully packaged lobes, de-veined, and ready to be sliced and pan fried, accompanied by the most wonderful pre-sliced gingerbread, aka Pain D’epices in French, which may be found in the dry goods section.
Above top row: Foie Gras Section
Bottom: The lobes to buy
Now first and foremost, you will bring the whole lobe to room temperature (STEP 1 – please note that it has an approximately 8 month shelf life and must be stored in the fridge, not frozen), but if you are in the middle of a Delhi summer, do remember that it will only take a minute to hit a normal room temperature so you will have to work very quickly in slicing and scoring. You will score only one side of each slice, using a very sharp knife, in a criss-cross design and without slicing in at all; it is only to create a mark, for presentation (STEPS 2 TO 6). The reason one brings it to room temperature, is so that one can slice without any breakage. One lobe will yield approximately 8 even slices, ¼ inch thick.
Now cover your plate with cling film and silver foil, and refrigerate until use … once again, you will bring them to room temperature before pan frying, but if it is very hot outside, then they will only need a minute or two out of the fridge before hitting the pan.
Next, rehydrate your dried figs by plunging them in boiling hot water for 5 minutes and then draining.
Then preheat the oven to 90°C (bottom heating convection setting), unwrap your package of gingerbread slices (IMAGE 1) and lay them out on the oven tray and toast them for 10 minutes on each side. They will crisp up only after you remove them from the oven and let them cool (IMAGE 2) … you will need to do the same for only a couple of minutes in the oven before serving, then let cool, so they have crisped up by the time you place the foie gras on top.
Now prepare your serving plate by placing one slice of the reheated and re-crisped gingerbread in the center and one re-hydrated fig on one side (STEP 7), drizzle a balsamic glaze (please refer to Profiterole Treat for the sub recipe), around the plate (STEPS 8 & 9), and either now or later, garnish with micro-herbs around the circle of glaze.
Then take a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat (STEP 10), and as soon as it feels piping hot to the finger, generously salt the foie gras, (STEP 11), then place your foie gras, presentation side down, on the pan (STEP 12), and let it sizzle until it is a dark golden brown, max one minute, then flip it and repeat on the other side (STEP 13), and then remove and place directly onto your toasted gingerbread (STEP 14), and serve at once. (FINAL IMAGE)
Above: Final Image