Foie Gras

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Digital kitchen scale
• •Small lidded terrine or 1-quart covered glass dish
• •Slim paring knife and teaspoon for deveining
• •Rolling pin
• •13 by 18-inch (33 by 46 cm) rimmed baking sheet
• •Pastry brush
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Large pasta pot
• •Serrated knife and large serving spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pâte

   Mix the flour with the pastry salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture holds flakes ranging from coarse crumbs to small peas. Beat the pastry egg with ½ cup (120 ml) of the ice water and work it into the flour with a fork. Press, rather than knead, until the dough holds together; add the remaining tablespoon of water only if dry flour remains. Divide it into two slightly unequal pieces, flatten them, cover, and chill for 1 hour. If the dough crumbles when rolled, let it stand for 5 minutes; if it smears or sticks, return it to the cold. Both are temperature problems, not ruined pastry.

   This pâte à pâté must be firmer than tart pastry because it is both cooking vessel and fat catcher. Tenderness matters less here than a seal that holds.
2. 2

   Stiffen the truffles

   Put the quartered truffle, the optional whole truffles, Cognac, half the bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon of the foie gras salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small saucepan. If using a gas stove, remove the pan from the burner before adding the Cognac, then return it to the lowest heat. Warm for 1 to 2 minutes, only until the Cognac trembles and the truffles firm slightly; never ignite it. Transfer everything to a small lidded terrine, meaning a covered dish, and cool completely.

3. 3

   Trim the liver

   Keep the foie gras cool but just pliable enough to handle. Open the natural seam between the lobes without separating them completely, expose the largest veins with the tip of a paring knife, and lift them out with the back of a teaspoon. Trim away bruises, any green-stained flesh, and loose membrane, then press the lobes gently back into their natural shape. Don't pursue every fine vein until the liver is rubble; remove the principal ones and preserve the whole form.

4. 4

   Stud and chill

   Drain the cooled truffle quarters, reserving the Cognac and any whole truffles. Make narrow, deep channels through the foie gras with a slim knife and push a truffle quarter into each one, distributing them through both lobes. Season the liver all over with the remaining foie gras salt and pepper, spoon the reserved Cognac over it, then wrap it completely in overlapping bacon slices. Put it in the closed terrine with the whole truffles and remaining half bay leaf, and chill for at least 1½ hours. If the foie gras becomes soft, glossy, or greasy while you work, stop and chill it for 15 minutes. Ça se rattrape. Warm foie gras is the danger, not a pause.

5. 5

   Seal the croûte

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or 170°C fan) with a rack in the lower third. Roll the larger pastry piece into an oval about 2 inches (5 cm) wider than the liver on every side and roughly ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Set it on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Blot the outside of the bacon dry, place the wrapped liver in the center, arrange the optional whole truffles around it, and lay the reserved bay half on top. Roll the second pastry piece large enough to cover everything without stretching. Moisten the lower edge with water, cover the liver, press out trapped air, and seal firmly with your thumb. Fold the joined edges over themselves to form a regular border; this isn't fussy decoration, but reinforcement. If the pastry tears, cover the spot with a dampened scrap and press it flat before baking.

6. 6

   Gild and bake

   Beat the gilding egg with the remaining water and brush it over the crust. Streak the surface lightly with the back of a knife, taking care not to cut through, then make a 1-inch (2.5 cm) vent in the top. Chill the assembled croûte for 15 minutes, brush it once more, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The crust should be firm and deeply butter-gold, with a little amber fat glistening at the vent. Pass an instant-read thermometer through the vent into the center of the liver; poultry liver must reach 165°F (74°C). If the crust colors before the center is ready, cover it loosely with foil and continue in 5-minute intervals. A small leak is contained by the rimmed sheet and does not spoil the dish.

7. 7

   Finish the noodles

   While the croûte finishes baking, boil the noodles in well-salted water until tender but still able to hold their shape. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of cooking water, then drain. Bring the cream to a quiet simmer in the emptied pot, reduce it for 2 to 3 minutes, and return the noodles. Toss until every ribbon is lightly coated, adding a spoonful of cooking water if the cream tightens too far. Keep them covered in a warmed serving dish; the garnish is sent separately, just as the preparation intends.

8. 8

   Open at table

   Rest the croûte for 10 minutes, then carry it whole to the table on a warmed oval platter. Cut around the top with a serrated knife and lift it away, taking care around the hot rendered fat. Remove the bay leaf. Use a large warm spoon to cut out a portion of foie gras for each plate, giving everyone bacon and truffle, then arrange the cream-finished noodles alongside. The inner crust has absorbed the excess fat and done its essential work; offer the crisp border, but don't insist upon it. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose goose foie gras first for this hot preparation. It is larger, firmer, and less readily melted than duck liver. If good goose foie gras cannot be had, an excellent duck liver works, but keep it especially cold and expect somewhat more rendered fat.
• •Fresh black truffle is part of the structure of this dish, not a decorative shaving. Outside its season, use good whole preserved black truffles, drained and patted dry. The perfume will be gentler, but the substitution is honest. Truffle-flavored oil has no place here.
• •Use thin, unsmoked bacon. Heavy smoke bullies both liver and truffle, while thick slices prevent the pastry from fitting closely around the foie gras.
• •Fresh foie gras is poultry offal. Keep it at or below 40°F (4°C), work with clean hands and tools, and do not rinse it, which only spreads droplets around the kitchen. The center must reach 165°F (74°C).
• •Pour a Barsac or a Jurançon moelleux with the dish. Both bring sweetness for the liver and enough acidity to keep the next spoonful inviting; the cream-finished noodles need no separate sauce competing for attention.

Advance Preparation

• •The pâte à pâté can be mixed and chilled up to 24 hours ahead. Let it stand briefly at cool room temperature only until it can be rolled without cracking.
• •The foie gras can be trimmed, studded, wrapped in bacon, and held in its closed terrine for up to 12 hours before assembly. Keep it thoroughly chilled.
• •The sealed, gilded croûte may wait in the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking. Bake it shortly before service, because reheating causes further melting and softens the pastry.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 2 days. Serve the cooked foie gras cold rather than repeatedly reheating it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 640g)