When you travel overseas one of the most fun things to do is to try new foods. France has been home to one of the world’s best and most famous cuisines for hundreds of years and many people travel to France just to sample the delicious food. There are many restaurants from Michelin starred gastronomic palaces to simple local places with a plat du jour. All of them will give you a great meal.
One of the most famous French delicacies is Foie Gras. This translates from ‘fat liver’ in French. As the name suggests, foie gras refers to the liver of ducks or other waterfowls. These birds have been force-fed a corn-based meal. The process is quite easy and is repeated thrice a day for a month. Eating more than normal makes their liver grow bigger. They are then killed, and their liver is cooked into delicious delicacies. Foie gras is basically an accumulation of fat that leaves a buttery taste in your mouth.
Duck foie gras is smoother and tastes a bit like wine. They are very popular and you can buy duck foie gras from your local market to prepare your favorite delicacies. It is originally from the South West area of France in Gascony and you will find some of the best suppliers in that region.
Seared foie gras
This is a more popular way of cooking foie gras because it is quite easy to do. In this process, the foie gras is first cut into thick pieces, and then it is seared which means that it is cooked at a very high temperature until a brown layering forms on the outside of all the slices. Foie gras is mainly fat due to which there is very little collagen in it.
This makes the inside of the foie gras soft and tender, while the outside remains brown and crunchy. It is as delicious as it sounds.
Foie gras terrine
Terrine is a process by which any item of food is cooked in advance and then kept in a container to cool down and take shape. The foie gras that is cooked in this procedure is called a terrine. The entire foie gras is made into a mold for effectiveness. It is then placed in a hot water bath for cooking.
The issue with foie gras is it is going to be ruined if not properly cooked, but even overlooking may spoil. Thus, it has to be kept under supervision to make sure it is just rightly cooked. After it is done, the foie gras is kept for some time to be cooled. The terrine is then cut into slices and served with necessary condiments.
Foie gras torchon
For this recipe of making a foie gras dish, a torchon is required. Torchon means kitchen towel in French. For this process, the foie gras is first cleaned thoroughly. Once it is devoid of all the veins, it is marinated well with salt and pepper, along with a bit of wine. This gives the foie gras a wine-like flavor that is quite sought after.
It is then rolled up tightly inside a torchon and kept hanging for a few days. After a few days, it is taken down and poached gently over hot water. Care should be taken so as not to undercook or overcook it. After cooling, it is cut into slices and can be served in any preferred way.
Foie gras mousse
In this process, the cooked foie gras is mashed with different vegetables and spices for taste into a mousse. It is then served with toasted bread. A dessert served with this dish enhances the meal even more.
