Seared Foie Gras With Poached Quince Tangerine And Pomegranate Juice Food

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.

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.

SEARED QUEBEC FOIE GRAS WITH OKANAGAN PEACHES

Steps:

• In saucepan bring wine, water and sugar to a boil. Peel and slice peaches into wedges. Remove boiling wine syrup from heat then add peach slices. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Remove peaches and reserve syrup in refrigerator for future use. Will hold about 1 week.
• In a small pot reduce the balsamic to 1/3. Remove from heat.
• For this dish you will need a non-stick pan. Take the foie gras out of the refrigerator. One thing I want to point out really quickly is you will need a warm knife. When you use the knife simply have a container of lukewarm water and place the knife in it and slice a 2-inch thick piece of foie gras, slice it and season with salt and white pepper. Take the non-stick pan, place it on a gas stove, on high. Take a knife and score the foie gras left to right and this will allow the fat to be released a little bit quicker and prevent it both from sticking and burning in the pan.
• Once the pan is lightly smoking, remove from heat for 1/2 a minute. Add dash of grapeseed oil. Place the foie gras in the pan score side down and place back over the heat. Continue to sear the foie gras for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes making sure that the Foie Gras does not burn; turn over and cook the foie gras for a further 1 to 1 1/ 2 minutes on the other side. Remove from the heat and let rest for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Spoon peaches and syrup onto 4 plates, place foie gras on top of peaches and drizzle plate with reduction. To finish sprinkle a small pinch of fleur de sel on foie gras.

POACHED DUCK FOIE GRAS WITH GRAPE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine demiglace, Port, red wine, vanilla bean, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Lightly crush grapes in a bowl with your hands and add to pan (including stems) with any juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and discard grape stems (don't worry if some small stems remain attached). Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Sprinkle foie gras with kosher salt and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper and cook in dry cleaned saucepan over moderately low heat until bottom is pale golden (do not brown), about 2 minutes, then gently turn over with a large slotted spatula and cook 2 minutes more (again, do not brown). Add cooled poaching liquid and simmer (do not boil) 6 minutes (foie gras will reach 125°F on an instant-read thermometer). Cool foie gras, uncovered, at room temperature in poaching liquid 30 minutes (foie gras will reach 140°F during cooling); for USDA standards, return to a simmer, checking temperature every minute, until foie gras reaches 160°F. Chill, loosely covered, at least 2 days and up to 3.
• Carefully transfer foie gras to a plate with slotted spatula and chill, covered. Skim fat from poaching liquid, then pour liquid through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, discarding solids. Boil liquid, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes (watch sauce carefully toward end of boiling; it scorches easily). Cool sauce to room temperature.
• Serve foie gras whole on a cutting board or platter. Thinly slice, then sprinkle slices with sea salt and pepper. Place a slice of foie gras on a piece of bread, then top with chutney and drizzle with sauce.

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.