Foie Gras Terrine Recipes

CLASSIC TERRINE OF FOIE GRAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F and line a small roasting pan with a folded kitchen towel or 6 layers of paper towels (this provides insulation so bottom of foie gras won't cook too quickly).
• Sprinkle each lobe and any loose pieces of foie gras on both sides with kosher salt and white pepper. Sprinkle one third of Sauternes in terrine and firmly press large lobe of foie gras, smooth side down, into bottom. (Wedge any loose pieces of foie gras into terrine to make lobe fit snugly.) Sprinkle with another third of Sauternes. Put smaller lobe of foie gras, smooth side up, into terrine and firmly press down to create a flat surface and snug fit. Sprinkle with remaining Sauternes. Cover surface of foie gras with plastic wrap, then cover terrine with lid or foil.
• Put terrine (with plastic wrap and lid) in roasting pan and fill roasting pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up side of terrine. Bake in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into center of foie gras registers 120°F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or 160°F (for USDA standards), about 3 1/2 hours.
• Remove terrine from pan. Discard water and remove towel. Return terrine to roasting pan and remove lid. Put wrapped cardboard directly on surface of foie gras and set weight on cardboard (this will force fat to surface; don't worry if fat overflows). Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
• Remove weight and cardboard and spoon any fat that has dripped over side of terrine back onto top (fat will seal terrine). Chill, covered, until solid, at least 1 day.
• Unmold foie gras by running a hot knife around edge. Invert onto a plate and reinvert, fat side up, onto serving dish. Cut into slices with a heated sharp knife.

FOIE GRAS TOASTS WITH SAUTERNES GELEé

Steps:

• Lightly oil a shallow 8-inch square baking dish or pan and line bottom and sides with a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Bring Sauternes and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour hot wine over gelatin mixture, then stir until gelatin has dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
• Pour wine-gelatin mixture into lined dish and chill, covered, until set, at least 4 hours.
• Lift gelée out of dish using plastic wrap and transfer to a cutting board. Cut gelée into 3/4-inch squares (without cutting through plastic).
• Cut foie gras into 1-inch squares (about 1/4 inch thick). Transfer squares with offset spatula to a tray lined with plastic wrap, then top each with a square of gelée (you will have extra gelée). Chill, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve.
• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper third.
• Trim crusts from bread, then brush with butter and cut 6 (1 1/4-inch) squares from each slice. Arrange in a 4-sided sheet pan and bake until golden, about 6 minutes.
• Top toasts with foie-gras-and-gelée stacks.

FOIE GRAS IN A PUMPKIN TERRINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• Cover a baking sheet with wrinkled aluminum foil so the pumpkin will rest securely flat on it. Place the pumpkin on the foil.
• Season foie gras with salt and pepper. Pour wine into pumpkin shell and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place foie gras in pumpkin, the large lobe underneath the smaller lobe. Cover with the pumpkin top, and wrap pumpkin securely in aluminum foil. Bake until the internal temperature of the liver reaches 120 degrees F, about 2 hours. Remove pumpkin from oven, discard foil, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove pumpkin from refrigerator 30 minutes before severing. Serve at table, using a hot spoon to scoop out foie gras.
• Serve with slices of crusty French bread.

CLASSIC DUCK FOIE TERRINE

Steps:

• Three to five days ahead, preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Gently separate the lobes and pick out and discard large veins and greenish bile, if any. Try not to break the liver up. (If not at room temperature, it will fall apart.)
• Place first lobe in a terrine large enough to hold the foie gras snugly. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Splash on 1 tablespoon of the wine, layer the other lobe and any small pieces on top and add the remaining wine. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Cover the terrine snugly with plastic wrap.
• Line the bottom of a roasting pan with a kitchen towel and place the terrine on top. Pour in enough hot (not boiling) water to come an inch or so up the sides of the terrine. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the foie gras reaches 115 degrees. (The U.S.D.A. recommends an internal temperature of 160 degrees.)
• Remove from oven and take the terrine out of the roasting pan. Place a weight on top and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour off any juices that have accumulated and use a gravy separator to separate the juices from the fat. Pour the fat back on top of the terrine. Discard juices.
• Refrigerate 3 to 5 days. To serve, slice thinly or use for French kisses and Gascogne sushi. Terrine keeps, refrigerated, up to 15 days.