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This one is strictly for the gourmets


mint
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New French neighbours gave me a jar of homemade foie gras as a Christmas present and it's still sitting around.

Now I have only eaten this "delicacy" once or twice in French homes, never bought it myself nor indeed ordered it in a restaurant.

I don't want to waste what was obviously given to me with some pride and as a token of friendliness. 

I admit I was going to just pass it on as a present to someone else.  But I am now expecting French friends to lunch next week and I thought I'd serve it to them as an entrée.

Could some knowledgeable person advise me on how to serve it, please?  Do you just spread it on your standard bit of pain grillé?  What else should you have to accompany it?

OK to offer some good Pineau or is there some recommended sweet wine that should be provided?

I am assuming that I manage to prise the lid off the jar, of course!

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[quote user="sweet 17"]

New French neighbours gave me a jar of homemade foie gras as a Christmas present and it's still sitting around.

Do you just spread it on your standard bit of pain grillé?  What else should you have to accompany it?[/quote]

We had some home cooked foie gras as an entrée at Christmas lunch at the home of some French friends and it was served on small toast with an onion confit sauce on the side as an accompaniment, and in addition a small piece of exquisite smoked salmon and its accompanying sauce in an endive leaf, and a beautifully fried noix de st jacques sitting on an accompanying piquante sauce. With lovely bread available. Delicious.

Edit: will try and find an appropriate image on t'internet to add gloss to my words, if you can wait a bit.

[quote user="sweet 17"]I am assuming that I manage to prise the lid off the jar, of course![/quote]

Now that could be the most difficult bit!! I struggled almost ad infinitum with a home-done jar given to us by friends. OH and I tried every trick in the book to break the seal and it was nigh on impossible. I cannot now remember which trick worked but, nevertheless, can only say it really does pay to persevere. [:)]

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There, thought it would be a little compliqué......

Right then, how's about, the foie gras spread on toast made from my own special wholemeal homemade bread, smoked salmon on warm blinis with a dab of horseraddish sauce (hah, that would confuse those French gourmets) and a tiny, elegant, exquisite croquette de poisson (OK then, fishcake!) with a hint of hot dried chillies (from a plant I had in the summer).

Will have to think of a bed of something to serve them on but do you think that would do the trick?

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[quote user="sweet 17"]Will have to think of a bed of something to serve them on but do you think that would do the trick?[/quote]

Sounds delicious to me!

Still cannot do smilies ...bah, humbug.

Edit: after reading Chancer's post I have realised that the foie gras we ate at Xmas was not spread on the toast but was a small slice placed delicately on the toast.
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I would keep it really simple. I'd chill it so that it's easier to cut and put a few slices directly on to each plate. I would add perhaps two half slices of lightly and freshly done thin toast and a dollop of redcurrant jelly on the side. I like it like this so that I can choose my own ratio of toast;foie gras; jelly. With the foie gras already in your mouth have a slurp of Monbazillac. Bliss.

Hoddy
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Got to be thin slices, methinks.

I "know" because I won a foie gras cutting set consisting of a board, a cheese wire cutting tool and a dish last year at a raffle.

Guess what, I did what we all do when we get something we don't want?  I recycled it by wrapping it up with a pretty bow and giving it to a French friend!

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Hi sweet,

Sorry to hear about the foie gras cutter!

If you want to cut the foie gras into thin slices a method to do it is to have a pan of water just on the boil. Take a sharp knife and immerse the blade in the hot water for about 30 seconds (until it is hot) take the knife out of the water and dry it on kitchen tissue and slice through the foie gras. The heat from the knife melts the fat and lubricates the knife, making the job alot easier. Keep repeating the process.
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Pip, thank you.........now, that's what I call a really useful tip!

Have now made up my mind definitely to serve the foie gras as a starter as I know the French friends would really appreciate it.

Then, I could return the jar to the neighbour, mentioning that we'd all enjoyed it for lunch.

Only one thing not yet resolved:  how the devil do you open the damn jar without dashing it on a stone?[8-)]

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[quote user="moonraker"]I usually need a pair of pliers as my arthritic fingers can't hold tight enough to pull! If the ring breaks, dig with a pointed knife until you let some air into the pot.[/quote]

That's what we do ... as both OH and I have arthritic fingers. But sometimes it is not as simple as it sounds and takes a lot longer than you might think.

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Thank you to everyone who has shown an interest and given advice.

Moonraker's tip worked a treat:  I pulled the rubber ring, quite hard, and then "pop", I felt the vacuum released.

All that yellow fat!  Are you sure the fat is good for roasting potatoes or whatever?

Christine, don't worry, foie gras is not something I would normally eat and certainly would never buy but, as it was given to me with friendship and the goose was already dead, I felt it was better to serve it to people who would enjoy it so that the poor old goose would not have been force-fed and then died in vain![8-)]

Sorry, to all the people who disagree with these silly sentiments (silly and illogical on my part as I do eat meat) but I just wanted to reassure Christine![:D]

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Sweet, you ve been given very good pieces of advice in this thread.

I would definitely go for a Sauternes as " vin liquoreux" ;

The knife and the hot water bowl = perfect way to slice it properly

Not on bread, indeed.. ( Foie gras is not paté )

But on special toasts , you can find them in any supermarket, ( pain special foie gras, which can be found in the pain de mie section)

If you can make your own, that should be even better of course ;

This year, the lastest fashion was to have it on " pain d'épices" which I personally don't like..

Latest fashion is also some fig chutney instead of onion, but both are good !!

Yummy, want it , now!!! [:D][:)][:D]

 

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Frenchie, nothing like getting it from a real-life French person.  Merci.  Will put Sauternes on the shopping list and look out for some fig confit.

I am glad you have specified pain de mie and I will deffo make some of that.  Is it better with wholemeal brown flour or white flour?

GG, I actually have a very prolific fig tree but I didn't find time to do anything much with the fruit last year [:(]

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[quote user="sweet 17"]

Frenchie, nothing like getting it from a real-life French person.  Merci.  Will put Sauternes on the shopping list and look out for some fig confit.

I am glad you have specified pain de mie and I will deffo make some of that.  Is it better with wholemeal brown flour or white flour?

GG, I actually have a very prolific fig tree but I didn't find time to do anything much with the fruit last year [:(]

[/quote]

Merci sweet!

I think white flour would be better, but really both should do.

Don't forget to serve the toasts warm..

Tu vas régaler tes amis!

BISE!

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