Pan-seared Foie Gras with Pears and Mâche
Foie gras is not difficult to cook, but it must be cooked quickly otherwise it will dissolve into a puddle of expensive melted fat. Its unctuous richness pairs nicely with sweet, juicy pears and nutty mâche leaves.
— 4 servings
*Items marked in green are available from The Gourmet Corner.
Ingredients
- 4 Rougie duck foie gras medallions
- 4 very thin slices rustic country-style bread, such as Poilâne, sliced in half diagonally
- 2 Tb butter, melted
- 4 cups mâche (about 2 oz)
- 1 ripe pear
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 Tb balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 375F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush lightly with the melted butter. Bake the toast points until they are golden brown, about 14 minutes.
Mound the mâche onto four plates. Cut the pear into four pieces lengthwise, and remove the core from each piece. Cut each quarter into four thin slices lengthwise, and fan out the slices on top of the mâche.
If necessary, slice the foie gras medallions crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces. If the medallions are long and thin, cut in half. You should have eight pieces, each measuring about 1 x 2 x 1/2. Season the foie gras pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until the the oil is hot but not smoking. Sauté half of the foie gras until golden, 45 seconds on one side, then flip the pieces and sauté for 15 seconds on the other side. The inside should still be pink. Quickly transfer the pieces to a paper towel to drain, and then repeat with the remainder of the foie gras.
Discard all but 1 Tbs of fat in the skillet. Add 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil, then take the skillet off heat. Place two toast points on each of the four plates, put a piece of foie gras on each toast point and spoon the sauce across each piece. If desired, any extra sauce can be drizzled over the mâche.
