Seared Foie Gras With Poached Quince Tangerine And Pomegranate Juice Recipes

SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH POACHED QUINCE, TANGERINE, AND POMEGRANATE JUICE

Steps:

• To make the quince: Slice ends from quince, and peel (a vegetable peeler works well). Cut in half, lengthwise. Remove the tough core, using a Parisian scoop (or a small paring knife). Then cut quince lengthwise into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, and add the remaining ingredients, plus 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cool until quince is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove quince slices and tangerine peel with a slotted spoon. Strain poaching liquid and discard aromatics. Julienne tangerine peel, and return it, along with quince, to poaching liquid. Keep warm. If preparing in advance, let cool in poaching liquid. Cover, and refrigerate.
• To make the pomegranate juice: Cut pomegranate in half, and juice just as you would a citrus fruit. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Set aside.
• To make the foie gras: Separate the two lobes of the foie gras, and cut away any excess fat found at the point of separation. Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife (dipped in hot water), cut foie gras crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Score one side of each slice of foie gras in a crosshatch pattern. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Remove foie gras slices from refrigerator 15 minutes before sauteing. Warm quince over medium heat if necessary. Heat a 12-inch saucepan over medium-high heat. Season foie gras with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Working quickly, sear foie gras slices, crosshatched side down, in batches, if necessary, for about 1 minute. Turn, and cook for another minute. The foie gras should be nicely seared on the outside, yet rare in the middle.
• To assemble: Arrange quince in the center of warmed appetizer plates. Top with foie gras slices. Drizzle reduced pomegranate-juice mixture around the quince and foie gras, and garnish with herbs and pomegranate seeds. Note: This recipe has been adapted from "Alfred Portale's Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook," by Alfred Portale. Copyright 1997 by Alfred Portale. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House.

FOIE GRAS WITH CARAMELIZED FRUITS

Steps:

• Slice the foie gras into 1/2-inch bias slices. Set aside. To prepare the caramelized fruits: in a saute pan, heat butter and sugar and cook until caramelized. Over high heat, deglaze with 1/2 cup sweet wine. Reduce slightly, and then add the apples, apricots, and grapes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sweet wine and reduce until fruits are caramelized. Reserve but keep warm.
• In another saute pan, reduce the red wine and mulberries until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Season the foie gras slices with pepper. Dip in flour and in a saute pan over high heat, saute for 1 minute on each side. To plate: arranged the caramelized fruits on plate. Spoon mulberry wine sauce reduction around fruits. Top with sauteed foie gras. Serve immediately.

PAN-SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH FIGS AND PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully pull apart the 2 lobes of the foie gras with your hands and remove the veins that are lodged between them. Using a sharp knife dipped in boiling water, cut each lobe into 1-inch medallions, approximately 6 (4-ounce) slices. Score the top of each medallion in a diamond pattern and season with salt and pepper. Sear the medallions in a hot, dry pan for 30 seconds per side, seasoned side down first. Remove to a warmed platter lined with paper towels to drain.
• Lower heat to medium and pour out a bit of the rendered duck fat. Fry the bread rounds until brown, about 2 minutes each side, set aside. Wipe out the pan and coat with olive oil. Brown the figs, cut side down, then add the shallots and tarragon. Cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with port, juice of 1/2 orange and balsamic vinegar, cook down, about 3 minutes. Finish off the sauce with butter, a pinch of sugar, orange zest, salt and pepper.
• Combine the endive, arugula and chives together in a small bowl. Toss with remaining orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange a handful of salad on each plate and lay the toast on top. Carefully place a foie gras medallion on each toast round. Top with figs, drizzle with port wine sauce. Garnish with chives and serve at once.

POACHED QUINCE BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan bring sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and 4 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, using a 1/2-inch melon baller, scoop out 12 balls of quince.
• Add quince to liquid and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quince is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely in liquid. Store quince in poaching liquid in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use.

FOIE GRAS WITH DATE PURéE AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Soak dates in boiling-hot water (1/2 cup) in a bowl 10 minutes. Transfer dates with a slotted spoon to a mini food processor or a blender along with 1 tablespoon soaking liquid. Add pomegranate molasses and purée until smooth.
• Preheat broiler.
• Cut enough 1/4-inch-thick slices from brioche to cut into a total of 32 (1 1/2-inch) squares (without crust).
• Broil brioche squares on a baking sheet 4 to 5 inches from heat, turning once, until pale golden, about 1 1/2 minutes total. (Watch carefully; brioche toasts quickly.)
• Dip a sharp paring knife in hot water, then dry it and halve foie gras lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 16 slices (32 total), dipping and drying knife after each cut. Put each slice as cut on top of a brioche toast, then top with a small dollop of date purée and a few pomegranate seeds.

SEARED FOIE GRAS AND LINGONBERRY JAM ON BRIOCHE TOAST

Steps:

• Cut brioche into 3/4-inch-thick slices, then into 60 (1 1/2-inch) cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Cook brioche cubes, 12 at a time, until golden brown on top and bottom, about 3 minutes total. Transfer brioche as cooked to a rack to cool and sprinkle with salt to taste. Between batches, carefully wipe skillet clean with paper towels and add more butter and oil.
• Stir pepper and juice into jam. Chill jam, covered, until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut foie gras into 1- by 1/2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce heat to moderate and cook foie gras, about 20 pieces at a time, until golden brown on both sides, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Transfer foie gras as cooked to a shallow baking pan with a spatula and arrange in 1 layer. Between batches, carefully wipe skillet clean.
• Reheat foie gras as needed in middle of oven 2 minutes, or until just hot, before assembling hors d'oeuvres. Just before serving, top toasts with lingonberry jam, then foie gras.