Chef David’s Best Kept Secret of the New Year

New Year’s eve in France is called réveillon and typically involves a long meal and party. The name réveillon is derived from the word réveil (meaning "waking"), because guests try to stay awake until midnight or later. The meal includes luxury food like lobster, oysters, caviar, escargot, and foie gras.

We celebrated réveillon this year with French friends in Rueil Malmaison outside of Paris and our first course consisted of foie gras mi-cuit served on small toasts with sweet onion jam. Mi-cuit means half-cooked and that it is fresh liver that has not been preserved in any way. (It has not been boiled in a container for 2 hours, as with most preserved versions.) Surprisingly, this type of foie-gras does not taste very liver-like, which makes it a good type to try for your first introduction to the dish.

Our hosts paired this with a chilled Sauternes dessert wine. A classic match for foie gras, Sauternes is a wine from the Bordeaux region made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that are allowed to partially raisin, thus giving it a rich, sweet complex flavor.

Chef David, French Market Spice’s contributing chef, shares his recipe for Faux Foie Gras (Duck Liver Mousse). As you know, real foie gras is expensive, and often difficult to find in the US. Chef David has developed an easier, more budget-friendly way to reproduce the depth of flavor and smooth texture of this authentic French favorite.

Faux Foie Gras (Duck Liver Mousse)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of duck livers 
• ¾ pound of unsalted butter (3 sticks)
• 2 teaspoons of Spice Parisienne
• 5 ounces of whole dried morel mushrooms
• 2 fluid ounces of sherry wine
• 2 fluid ounces of brandy
• 1 teaspoon of sodium nitrite (pink curing salt)
• 1 teaspoon of Truffle Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Fleur de Sel
• 2 teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Preparing foie gras generally does not require special kitchen equipment or utensils, except that you should choose a container to serve as a mold. It is typical to use a medium to large terrine shaped mold to make a block shape. You may also choose to use several smaller molds, depending on your purpose. Included below are some photos of typical terrine molds you’ll find in most cooking stores.

Soak the mushrooms in a little bit of tepid water.

Pan-sear the liver with a little bit of the butter, and the pink salt. When nicely seared, deglaze with the sherry and the brandy and the mushroom water and braise until ¾ of the liquid has reduced.

Put the remaining reduction in a food processor while still warm and add the butter slowly while processing.

At this point, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into molds of your choice. Refrigerate it to cool with no lid so that the steam can escape freely.

Once the foie gras has cooled, you can either slice it and serve with toasts or bread on the side or you can spread it directly onto toasts and serve it.

Popular accompaniments include cornichons, onion, apricot, fig jam, salad, nuts, and dried fruits. The choice is yours. Needless to say, your family, friends, or Supper Club foodies will be impressed!

Bon Appetit et Bonne Année 2010!

Here are some examples of terrine molds: