ROASTED FOIE GRAS w/GARLIC CONFIT

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4-6 SERVINGS
• Gascony is known for its garlic as well as its foie gras. In this wintry dish, the two are paired. Slow-cooking the cloves in duck fat tones down their bite and makes a garlic confit. Roasting a foie
• • 1 whole Grade A foie gras, about 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned
• • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• • 1 pound rendered duck fat
• • 46 cloves garlic, peeled
• • Pinch dried thyme
• • 1/4 teaspoon quatre epices
• • 1/4 cup heavy cream
• • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• • 12 bay carrots, steamed until tender
• • Pinch sugar

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Season foie gras generously with salt and pepper. Place foie gras in a small porcelain or copper baking dish that is only slightly larger than the liver itself. Roast until medium rare, 20 to 25 minutes, or until internal temperature of foie gras reaches 120°F. Remove from oven and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, melt duck fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme, quatre epices, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1 ½ teaspoons salt), and simmer until garlic is soft. When done, remove 30 cloves and puree them in a food processor or electric blender until smooth. Return puree to a small saucepan, mix with heavy cream, and cook over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm. Reserve remaining garlic cloves, covered, to keep warm. Sauce and garlic cloves may be done to this point 1 day ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving

4. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add steamed carrots, sugar, salt, and pepper, and heat through, shaking pan to coat carrots. Keep warm. Carefully remove whole foie gras to a cutting board and cut each lobe into 4 to 6 slices. Garnish plates with the reserved garlic cloves and carrots. Pale a spoonful of garlic puree in the middle of each plate. Place 2 slices of foie gras, one from each lobe, on top of the puree, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

NOTE: Use duck fat that you have rendered and saved in the freeze (it keeps up to 6 months), or order from D’Artagnan or from a local purveyor of fine meats and poultry.