CHOISISSEZ BIEN VOTRE FOIE GRAS DE CANARD

The most important step in ensuring the success of your dish is the choice of product. Here, the focus should be on quality taking into account the main indicators. Opt for a smooth duck foie gras without any hematoma. Be sure to go for a dewy, milky piece. It should be neither too soft nor too hard and above all not wet.

To be sure to obtain a quality duck foie gras , we recommend that you choose a local product , from Périgord. In addition to taking quality criteria into account, this option allows you to benefit from a short distribution circuit and support small producers in the south-west of France.

TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PARTICULARITIES OF FOIE GRAS

On the market, there are mainly two varieties of foie gras: goose foie gras and duck foie gras . To make the most of the second option and compose a chef’s menu, you need to know its specifics.

Duck foie gras is a slightly more tender meat than goose. It also has a more pronounced taste and renders more fat when cooked. This last aspect is decisive for the seasoning of your dish.

USE THE VACUUM PACKAGING TECHNIQUE

Although it is recommended, quality foie gras is not always available for direct sale from the producer. In this case, there is an infallible trick to enjoy this dish in good conditions: vacuum packaging. The packaging of raw duck foie gras under vacuum enables it to preserve its characteristics and freshness.

This technique is also useful for keeping the aromas of the product intact until it is cooked. Our chef’s tip to benefit from it effectively? It’s very simple: we take the product out and leave it in the open air for a few hours before preparing it. The vacuum-packed duck foie gras then softens to offer the best of its flavor.

PROPERLY REMOVE THE BLOOD FROM THE DUCK FOIE GRAS

This is one of the trickiest steps when deciding to prepare foie gras. Here you need to make sure that all traces of blood that may remain in your product are removed. We are experimenting with an effective technique for this: the small bath.

You simply have to immerse your duck foie gras in a mixture of milk and cold water . Also add a little coarse salt to this solution and leave to act for 2 to 3 hours. The blood residues will be definitively eliminated and you will at the same time avoid unpleasant surprises during the tasting.

GENTLY DEVEIN THE FOIE GRAS

Here we approach the main step before the actual cooking of the duck foie gras. It consists of removing the nerves and all the veins visible on the product. However, the task can be complex if not done well. Indeed, poor technique results in a bloody or bitter taste during tasting.

The trick to properly denervate duck foie gras comes in two steps. The first is to gently separate the product into two parts. Here, you must take care to slowly pull the two lobes of the foie gras . You will be able to distinguish all the nerves and veins that make it up.

The second stage is undoubtedly the longest. With a paring knife, slowly lift each rib. Use the tip of the tool for this. Once the vein is clear, pull it out, then repeat the process for the entire vein network. With a little patience and delicacy, you will succeed the operation without problem.

ADOPT THE RIGHT SEASONING STRATEGY

Like deveining, seasoning requires a lot of precision in the dosage of ingredients . We therefore recommend that you use a kitchen scale to obtain a good weighing. In fact, if you season your duck foie gras in the wrong way or with excessively large proportions, you risk distorting the taste.

The basic rule is quite simple: for 500 grams of duck foie gras, you must provide a pinch of pepper and 6 grams of salt. Of course, you can replace the pepper with a spice that suits your tastes better. If by chance you want to flavor this dish with alcohol, we recommend that you limit yourself to 2 teaspoons.

FLAVOR THE DUCK FOIE GRAS WITH THE RIGHT ALCOHOL

Custom dictates that the tasting of duck foie gras is accompanied by alcohol. However, it is possible to flavor this dish with a liqueur. You need to make a wise choice for this.

Here, strong alcohols such as armagnac or cognac are to be set aside. Instead, opt for sweet liqueurs to bring out the sweet flavor of the foie gras . You need to find the right combination so as not to alter the taste of the main dish.

COOK FOIE GRAS LIKE A CHEF

The cooking technique determines the success or failure of homemade duck foie gras. Several options are available to you depending on your degree of culinary mastery.

As a beginner, you should aim for an easy-to-perform cooking method. We recommend cooking in the oven at low temperature, in ballottine or in a cloth. If you have an intermediate or high level of skill, feel free to cook in a terrine .

It is also possible to cook duck foie gras in the microwave. Even if this technique is not really conventional, it has the merit of being simple to perform. All you have to do is place the product in a terrine that you close and insert into the machine for 2 minutes of cooking. Be sure to select the lowest wattage. Then put a weight on the foie gras to evacuate the fat, before placing it in the fridge for a day.

You now have all the keys to cooking duck foie gras like a chef . By choosing the right method, you can even keep your preparation for more than a week.