Pain de Foie de Veau

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Food processor with at least a 7-cup (1.7 litre) bowl
• •Sturdy fine-mesh sieve and flexible scraper
• •Large bowl and ice for chilling the forcemeat
• •1-quart (950 ml) Charlotte mould, metal pudding mould, or 6-inch by 2-inch (15 cm by 5 cm) round metal pan
• •Deep roasting pan for the bain-marie
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the panada

   Whisk the flour, whole egg, and yolk together in a small heavy saucepan until no dry flour remains. Whisk in the milk by degrees, keeping the mixture smooth, then cook over medium-low heat while stirring continuously. In 4 to 6 minutes it will become a thick, glossy paste that gathers around the spoon and leaves a clean film on the pan. Take it off the heat and beat in the softened butter in three additions. Spread the frangipane panada thinly on a plate, press parchment directly against its surface, and chill it thoroughly. Weigh out exactly 5 ounces (142 g); the small surplus preserves the source ratio without asking you to divide an egg.

2. 2

   Prepare onion and mould

   While the panada chills, melt half the divided butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until completely tender and translucent without the slightest browning. Spread it on a plate and let it become cold. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), then coat a 1-quart (950 ml) Charlotte mould, metal pudding mould, or 6-inch by 2-inch (15 cm by 5 cm) round metal pan generously with the remaining butter. Set the mould inside a deep roasting pan.

3. 3

   Process the liver

   Put the cold liver, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg in a food processor. Process in short bursts, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the liver is completely smooth. Add 5 ounces (142 g) of the very cold frangipane panada in three portions, processing each portion fully into the liver before adding the next. Add the two whole eggs one at a time. Keep the motor runs brief; if the processor bowl begins to feel warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.

4. 4

   Finish over ice

   Push the liver mixture through a sturdy fine-mesh sieve into a chilled bowl, pressing firmly with a flexible scraper and discarding the sinew left behind. Nest the bowl over ice. Work in the cold onion and two yolks, then add the very cold cream one spoonful at a time, stirring until each addition disappears before the next goes in. The forcemeat should remain smooth, cohesive, and cold enough that the bowl feels chilled beneath your hand. If it turns slick around the edges or the cream refuses to bind, stop adding cream and set the bowl deeper into fresh ice for 5 minutes, then stir slowly until it comes together before resuming by teaspoonfuls. Ça se rattrape.

   The processor replaces the mortar and pounding arms, but it does not replace the sieve. That final rubbing removes membrane and gives the Pain de Foie de Veau its fine, delicate crumb.
5. 5

   Poach the loaf

   Pour the forcemeat into the buttered mould. Set it on a folded kitchen towel and tap it gently two or three times so hidden air pockets rise without knocking out the emulsion. Return the mould to the roasting pan and pour very hot water around it until the water reaches halfway up its sides. Poach uncovered in the oven for about 45 minutes. The bain-marie should remain quiet, never boiling hard, and the loaf is ready when the centre is just set and reaches 160°F (71°C). If the water begins bubbling energetically, lower the oven by 25°F (15°C) and add a little cool water to the bath; a violent poach makes a coarse, spongy loaf.

6. 6

   Rest and unmould

   Lift the mould from the bain-marie and let it stand undisturbed for 5 minutes so the forcemeat settles. Warm the chosen Sauce Duxelles, Sauce Italienne, Sauce Bordelaise, or brown caper sauce gently while it rests. Run a thin knife around the edge, invert the mould onto a warm round platter, and lift it away. If the loaf clings, wrap the mould briefly in a hot damp towel and try again rather than prying at it. Spoon the sauce over the crown and let it pool generously around the base. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose calf's liver that is rosy brown, moist without being slippery, and clean-smelling. Ask the butcher to remove the outer membrane and the largest veins; paying for trimmed weight keeps the source proportion honest.
• •Heavy cream means at least 35 percent fat. Light cream weakens the emulsion, and margarine has no place in either the panada or the mould. Butter and proper cream are structural here, not decoration.
• •The source offers several sauces because the loaf is deliberately gentle. Sauce Duxelles brings an earthy mushroom finish, Sauce Italienne adds wine and herbs, Sauce Bordelaise is darker and wine-led, and brown caper sauce gives the sharpest contrast. Make one separately and have it hot before the loaf leaves its mould.
• •The listed preparation time covers the loaf, not its separate finishing sauce. With Sauce Duxelles, pour a lightly chilled Gamay from Beaujolais; its bright fruit meets the mineral liver without bullying the cream.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the frangipane panada up to one day ahead. Press parchment directly against its surface and keep it thoroughly chilled; weigh the required 5 ounces (142 g) just before processing.
• •Cook the onion and prepare the chosen finishing sauce one day ahead. Chill them separately, then bring only the sauce back to a gentle simmer for serving.
• •The completed raw forcemeat can wait in its buttered mould for up to 4 hours, tightly covered and refrigerated. Put it directly into the bain-marie from the cold and allow a few extra minutes, judging doneness by the 160°F (71°C) centre rather than the clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 315g)