Foie Gras: Pan-Seared Decadence

Pan-seared foie gras is an elegant, French delicacy made from the fatty liver of poultry, usually duck or goose. The practice of making foie gras is thought to be over 5000 years old, with one of the oldest depictions of the process found in ancient Egyptian sculpture.

Foie gras is often considered a controversial ingredient due to the force-feeding, or gavage, of geese to purposefully fatten the liver. However, newer practices involve letting geese roam free and feed naturally, resulting in ethical foie gras.

Preparing pan-seared foie gras involves cutting the foie gras into thick slabs, which are then seasoned with salt and pepper and seared in a hot, dry skillet for a short time. It is often served with a sauce that balances sweetness and acidity, such as a fruit preserve or wine reduction.

How to pan-sear foie gras

Preparation

Foie gras is the fatty liver of poultry, traditionally geese and ducks, but also cows and pigs. It is a very rich, decadent dish, often served as an appetizer.

Firstly, source good-quality, fresh foie gras. You can buy it pre-portioned, or buy a whole lobe and slice it yourself. If you are slicing it yourself, cut it into slabs about half an inch thick. This reduces the chances of the foie gras breaking apart or overcooking. Keep the foie gras refrigerated until you are ready to cook it, as it softens and can smear if it gets too warm.

Cooking

Heat your skillet to a high temperature—it should be smoking hot. Cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel skillets are all good options.

While the pan is heating, season the foie gras liberally with salt and pepper. You can also score the foie gras, by making thin, diagonal or cross-hatch cuts across one side. This is mainly done for appearance, but it also helps the fat to render. Use a hot knife to make these cuts, heating the blade under hot tap water to prevent the foie gras from tearing or crumbling.

Once the pan is hot, carefully lay the seasoned slabs of foie gras into the skillet. It should start smoking and rendering fat immediately. If it doesn't, remove the foie gras and let the pan heat up some more. Sear each side for about 30 seconds to one minute, until the surface is deep brown. You can use a thin metal spatula to flip the foie gras.

Serving

Let the cooked foie gras rest on a paper-towel-lined plate for about a minute. This allows the centre to soften.

Foie gras is often served with a sauce that has a balance of sweetness and acidity, like a fruit preserve, jam, or jelly. It also pairs well with a simple balsamic reduction.

The history of foie gras

Foie gras, or "fatty liver" in French, is a delicacy with a long history. It is believed to have originated with the ancient Egyptians, who observed that migratory geese and ducks stored fat in their livers. They began force-feeding them, also known as gavaging, to procure the fatty liver as food. An ancient Egyptian sculpture from around 2350 BC depicts the feeding process and is located in the Louvre.

After the Romans conquered Egypt, they continued the practice of making foie gras and discovered that feeding certain fruits to the birds further enhanced the taste. The Romans likely began raising geese specifically for foie gras production and gave it the name iecur ficatum, meaning "fig-stuffed liver". From Greece and Rome, foie gras spread to Europe, especially France, through the influence of Jews who used goose and duck fat for cooking.

In the 1500s, foie gras became widely accepted by gastronomes across Europe, and France became the largest producer and consumer of the delicacy. In the 18th century, a French chef named Jean-Joseph Clause is credited with popularising foie gras as pâté de foie gras.

Today, foie gras remains a popular delicacy, known for its sweet taste and silky texture. It is produced by a few small farmers in the United States and many more around the world, with France being the largest producer. The art of raising ducks and geese for foie gras requires a low-stress environment, as birds under stress produce low-quality or no foie gras.

How to choose the best foie gras

When choosing the best foie gras, there are several factors to consider. Here are some tips to help you select the finest product:

• Read reviews from consumer magazines: Reviews from expert panels can be insightful, as they provide detailed commentaries based on extensive tastings. However, keep in mind that they may only cover a limited number of brands, focusing primarily on large-scale producers.
• Examine the ingredients: Opt for products with simple, high-quality ingredients. A good foie gras entier should include a whole liver, carefully separated into lobes, along with salt and pepper. For bloc foie gras, a small amount of water, nitrite salts, and sugar may be added. Avoid products with artificial flavourings, alcohol, or unnecessary additives like sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid (E300).
• Look for authenticity labels: Select products bearing labels such as "foie gras du Sud-Ouest," "foie gras de canard du Périgord," "foie gras Label Rouge," or the "oie du Périgord" appellation stamp. These labels signify that the foie gras has been produced according to specific standards, including high hygiene, free-range rearing of ducks and geese, and a corn-rich diet.
• Consider awards and medals: While the criteria for awarding medals at agricultural shows may be debated, they can still provide a good indication of quality. If two products are similarly priced, the one with a medal may be the better choice.
• Consult professionals: Ask your trusted butcher or delicatessen for advice. They can provide insights into the texture, production methods, and popularity of different foie gras options.
• Choose a reputable producer: Opt for producers with a reputation for quality, such as those from South-Western France, who have mastered the craft over generations. These producers often use traditional family recipes, resulting in exceptional products that require no artificial enhancements.
• Check the origin and packaging: Ensure the foie gras is produced in the South-West of France, as this region is renowned for its expertise in foie gras production. Be cautious of products labelled "Product of France," "Made in France," or "Country of Origin France," as they may be lower-quality or imported from other countries.
• Read the label carefully: Brand names can be misleading, as foie gras has traditionally been produced by peasants rather than aristocrats. Look beyond the marketing and focus on the ingredients and origin.
• Opt for simple, natural foie gras: Choose products that are 99% duck or goose liver, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Avoid products with additives, mousse, rillettes, or pâtés mixed with wine or other flavours.
• Look for IGP and Label Rouge labels: These labels indicate that the foie gras meets rigorous standards and conforms to high specifications, ensuring the ducks are raised in the open air for a minimum period and fed exclusively with Southwestern corn.
• Grade matters: When buying foie gras, it is worth paying for Grade A. Grade B tends to be veiny and is not recommended for pan-searing.
• Select clean, evenly coloured pieces: When buying individual pieces of foie gras, choose those that are clean-looking, about 1-2 inches each, with an even colour and no blood spots or blemishes. They should have a subtly sweet aroma with a hint of liver.

Remember, when it comes to choosing the best foie gras, quality, authenticity, and simplicity are key. Taking these factors into consideration will help you make an informed decision and ensure a delightful culinary experience.

How to serve foie gras

Foie gras is a rich, fatty dish, so it is often served as a small starter or appetiser. It is usually served with a sweet or acidic accompaniment to cut through the richness of the liver.

Heating and Slicing

First, it is important to note that foie gras should be heated through before serving. If you are using raw foie gras, heat a pan over medium heat—without butter or oil—and sear each side for about 30 seconds. You can then rest the foie gras on a paper towel for a minute to allow the centre to soften.

When slicing foie gras, use a non-serrated knife, as a serrated blade will tear the meat. Warm the knife under running water to prevent the meat from falling apart as you cut it. Slice the foie gras into 1/2-inch chunks, or bigger if you prefer.

Serving Suggestions

Foie gras is often served with bread, such as country-style bread, sourdough, brioche, or fruit bread. It can be served on a slice of bread as a simple appetiser, or with a variety of accompaniments as a more complex starter.

To make the most of the flavour of the foie gras, it is best to avoid strong flavours or accompaniments with a distinctive, pungent taste. Instead, opt for a light green salad without dressing, or a fruit or berry sauce with a slightly sour flavour. Fried mushrooms are also a good pairing, but avoid strongly-flavoured varieties like white mushrooms.

Some classic accompaniments include:

• Fig jam
• Baked apples with fresh lettuce leaves
• Fried onion
• Chanterelle mushrooms
• Sauternes (a sweet wine from Bordeaux)
• Sweet Loire Valley wines
• Alsatian vendange tardive or selection de grains nobles
• Sweet German Rieslings
• Late-harvest Jurançon

Foie gras can also be served with acidic fruits, such as green apples, strawberries, cherries, or whiskey cherries. You could also serve it with a fruit preserve, jam, or sauce, or a cranberry jelly, citrus sauce, or an Asian-inspired chutney.

Foie gras controversies

Foie gras is a food product made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened, usually through force-feeding. This process, known as gavage, involves inserting a long tube down the bird's throat and pumping food directly into its stomach. While some claim that this practice is natural and harmless, others argue that it is inhumane and unethical, leading to a heated debate and several controversies.

One of the main controversies surrounding foie gras is the force-feeding process itself. Animal rights and welfare groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, contend that force-feeding is cruel and inhumane, causing the livers of the birds to swell to up to ten times their normal size. This enlargement impairs liver function, restricts blood flow, and makes breathing difficult. Additionally, the force-feeding procedure can be stressful and painful for the animals, causing damage to their throats and oesophagus.

Another controversy relates to the housing and rearing conditions of the birds during the force-feeding period. Investigations have revealed that ducks are often kept in extremely small, dirty pens, leading to infections and painful punctures in their beaks and throats. The birds may also become too heavy for their legs to support, and those that get sick are sometimes thrown into trash heaps.

The production and sale of foie gras have been banned in several countries, including India, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and some parts of the United States, such as California, San Diego, and Chicago. However, the debate continues, with some chefs and producers defending the practice as natural and humane.

While the force-feeding of animals for non-medical purposes is prohibited in many European countries, the import and sale of foie gras are still allowed, leading to ongoing controversies and protests. Some retailers, such as Amazon, Waitrose, and Sainsbury's, have ceased the sale of foie gras due to concerns over its production methods.

Frequently asked questions