Every year I am in charge of the Christmas starter. Main course, be it Goose or (God, forbid) Turkey, is still very firmly in the domain of Mother. Indeed it will be a significant and poignant day when I take over the realms of the Christmas Day Lunch – a sort of coming of age moment.
Anyway – in my parents retirement we have moved to Kent and are a bare 20 miles from France! The potential for many booze and food runs to France is there and realised. This year we went over and got a giant slab of yummy duck foie gras and it was my lucky job to turn it into a delicious dish!
I love the texture of foie gras when it is seared – molten, oozing, achingly soft on the inside, texture and seared bite on the outside. Salt, fat, mmm. I wanted something acidic to cut through the fat of it to go with it too and something fruity for a bit of balancing sweetness – hence the pickled fruits. I took the inspiration for the pickled blackberries from the St John restaurant in Chinatown where I had eaten them the week before – I think it works in this context fabulously. Delicious.
The fruits are all individually pickled in complimentary brines. You can do these the day before and then just dish them up on the day.
Anyway – in my parents retirement we have moved to Kent and are a bare 20 miles from France! The potential for many booze and food runs to France is there and realised. This year we went over and got a giant slab of yummy duck foie gras and it was my lucky job to turn it into a delicious dish!
I love the texture of foie gras when it is seared – molten, oozing, achingly soft on the inside, texture and seared bite on the outside. Salt, fat, mmm. I wanted something acidic to cut through the fat of it to go with it too and something fruity for a bit of balancing sweetness – hence the pickled fruits. I took the inspiration for the pickled blackberries from the St John restaurant in Chinatown where I had eaten them the week before – I think it works in this context fabulously. Delicious.
The fruits are all individually pickled in complimentary brines. You can do these the day before and then just dish them up on the day.
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4):
600g whole lobe of fresh foie gras
salt
100g blackberries
100g cherries
100g radishes
2 cups white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar
zest of one lime
1 cinnamon stick
Method:
1. For the pickled radishes: Put a cup of white wine vinegar, a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat and pour over the radishes. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
2. For the pickled cherries: Put a cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat and pour over the cherries and add the cinnamon. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
3. For the pickled blackberries: Put a cup of white wine vinegar, a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat, add the lime zest and pour over the blackberries. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
4. For the foie gras: keep refrigerated until just before ready. Remove and slice into 3/4 inch slices. Heat a frying pan over medium/high heat for 1 minute or so until nice and hot. Don’t add any oil – as soon as the foie gras goes in it will start to melt (it essentially is just pure fat) – oil is an unnecessary addition. When the pan is hot add a slice of the foie gras carefully to the pan using a pallet knife – be carefully, it falls apart easily. Saute on each side for about 2 minutes. It should be browned on each side with a nice crust, but still rare on the inside. Once seared on both sides put onto kitchen paper to soak up the salt. Season with a little salt.
5. Serve with triangles of toast and the pickled fruit and vegetables. Enjoy.
Ingredients (serves 4):
600g whole lobe of fresh foie gras
salt
100g blackberries
100g cherries
100g radishes
2 cups white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar
zest of one lime
1 cinnamon stick
Method:
1. For the pickled radishes: Put a cup of white wine vinegar, a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat and pour over the radishes. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
2. For the pickled cherries: Put a cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat and pour over the cherries and add the cinnamon. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
3. For the pickled blackberries: Put a cup of white wine vinegar, a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of salt into a pan and bring to the boiling point. Take off the heat, add the lime zest and pour over the blackberries. Leave to infuse for 4+ hours.
4. For the foie gras: keep refrigerated until just before ready. Remove and slice into 3/4 inch slices. Heat a frying pan over medium/high heat for 1 minute or so until nice and hot. Don’t add any oil – as soon as the foie gras goes in it will start to melt (it essentially is just pure fat) – oil is an unnecessary addition. When the pan is hot add a slice of the foie gras carefully to the pan using a pallet knife – be carefully, it falls apart easily. Saute on each side for about 2 minutes. It should be browned on each side with a nice crust, but still rare on the inside. Once seared on both sides put onto kitchen paper to soak up the salt. Season with a little salt.
5. Serve with triangles of toast and the pickled fruit and vegetables. Enjoy.
Radishes
Sliced and into the pickle
Pickling brine for the cherries
Cherries pickling
Blackberries
Bit of lime for the brine
Foie gras
Sauté
plating time
ta daaaa
