Foie Gras In A Pumpkin Terrine Food

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.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY FOIE GRAS

Steps:

• For the almond butter:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the almonds, honey, canola oil and hazelnut oil.
• Spread the almonds on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, sprinkle with salt and toast in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly caramelized, watching them closely and stirring halfway through if necessary. Let cool for 1 minute. Cook's Note: Cool no longer than 1 minute, as the almonds will cool and harden, which makes getting them off the paper very difficult!
• In a food processor, add 3/4 of the roasted almonds. Process on high speed for 5 minutes or until you have the desired consistency. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and process again to the desired smoothness. Add a few drops of oil if it's too thick. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. With a knife, chop the remaining almonds and keep aside to use as a garnish.
• For the grape jelly:
• Rinse the grapes and put them in a big pot with the sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Skim the surface regularly to ensure a clear jam.
• Let it cool for 1 hour. Pour the mixture in a clean jar and reserve in the refrigerator. Grape jelly will keep for a week.
• For the duck foie gras:
• Season the foie gras with salt and pepper.
• In a pan on medium heat, saute the foie gras 20 seconds on each side or just until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside in a warm place. Add the brioche bread to the pan to soak up the remaining juices and duck fat and lightly toast on each side, about 2 minutes in total.
• When ready to plate, spread the almond butter on a slice of bread, cover with a slice of foie gras. Garnish with the grape jelly and the reserved crushed almonds.
• Notes
• The almond butter can keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
• Notes
• Hazelnut oil can be substituted with macadamia nut oil or grilled sesame oil.
• Roasted pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia, brazil nuts or peanuts work well, too. Combining different nuts is also fun to experiment with. The nut butter can also be flavored with spices like orange zest, cardamom, or cinnamon.
• The first and most important thing to consider when making a batch of peanut butter is buying fresh peanuts, or other nuts. Because nuts have such a high oil content, they can go rancid if stored improperly, or for too long. Buy your nuts from a busy store with a good turnover and you should have no problem.
• Nuts can be kept in the freezer for almost a year.

COUNTRY TERRINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan and gently saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the Cognac, remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Combine the ground pork, liver and ground veal in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture, breadcrumbs, herbs, quatre-epices and eggs. Mix well. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper. Fry a patty of it to check for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
• Thinly slice the pork fat and line a 10-by-2 1/2-inch terrine mold with the slices, slightly overlapping them and allowing it to hang over the edges. Pack the meat mixture into the terrine and press down evenly. Fold the overhanging strips of fat over the top and add a few more slices if necessary to cover the top. Cover the top with a piece of parchment paper, then cover the terrine with foil.
• Put the terrine in a roasting pan and pour around enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the terrine. Place in the oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the water bath and cool completely. Place a brick on it and refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve.

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.