In this classic recipe, the buttery rich flavor of the foie gras pairs beautifully with the astringent taste of the tart grape sauce. If your grapes are too sweet, add a few extra drops of verjus or vinegar to reestablish the proper harmony. When you sauté slices of foie gras, you have complete control over its cooking: a quick sear in a hot pan, simple degreasing, followed by deglazing with a little bit of vinegar to restore the proper balance of flavors.
Sautéing can be tricky if you are cooking for a lot of people, because you must slice, cook, and serve everyone within minutes. I have written this recipe for only the small lobe, on the assumption that you will use the large lobe in one of the other preparations in this book. You can, of course, double the recipe and sauté both lobes, using 2 skillets.
In the French Southwest the grape of choice is Moissac de Chasselas, often nicknamed the grains of beauty due to their incredible translucency, milkiness, aroma, and flavor. They stay fresh on the vine until Christmas surrounded with paper to protect them from the cold. Use any tasty green grape available in the market.
In the Périgord, the slices of foie gras are dusted with potato flour; you can substitute an “instant” flour such as Wondra, which creates a thin crust on the outside, and of course a melting creamy inside when fried in a little bit of duck fat. In other parts of the French Southwest, nonstick pans have replaced the necessity of the flour and extra fat.
The grapes for the sauce must soak overnight.
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Soak the grapes in the sweet wine overnight.
The following day, strain the grapes, reserving the wine. Set a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. When the skillet is hot add the duck fat or butter and the grapes; sauté, shaking the pan, until they are shiny all over, about 1 minute. Remove to a side dish.
Pour the reserved wine into the hot skillet, bring it to a boil over high heat, and reduce to syrup, 3 to 4 tablespoons. Add the vinegar, stock, peppercorns, and quatre épices. Continue to boil until reduced by half. Add the cream and boil down to a napping consistency, about 3 tablespoons. Add the sauce to the grapes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the balance of sweet and sour with pinches of sugar or drops of verjus or vinegar.
Wash out the skillet and dry well. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 1 hour in advance.)
About 5 minutes before serving, cut the foie gras into 4 slices of approximately equal size, about 2 ounces per slice. Be sure to use a thin-bladed knife, dipped in warm water and wiped clean between each cut. Season each slice with a pinch of salt and pepper. If you like, dip each slice in the flour and shake off any excess.
Set the dry skillet over moderately high heat. When it is hot, add the foie gras slices; quickly lift the pan off the heat for a moment. Return to moderate heat and cook, turning once, for 1 minute on each side. Using a slotted spatula transfer the slices to warmed individual serving plates.
Working quickly, pour off any exuded fat and reserve for some other purpose. Reheat the grapes and sauce in the skillet along with a few tablespoons water or stock to keep the sauce fluid. Bring to a boil and spoon equal amounts of grapes and sauce over each plate of foie gras. Lightly dust each portion with a pinch of fleur de sel and serve at once.
Quatre Épices
Despite its name, quatre épices is a mixture of more than four spices. It includes pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and other spices. You can create your own mixture to taste. I prefer to make up small batches of this seasoning, since ground spices lose their punch in a short time. MAKES ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON
10 whole cloves
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick (preferably the thicker, more pungent cassia cinnamon)
⅔ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Grind all the ingredients together in a spice mill until powdery. Sieve and store in a tightly capped jar.
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