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Foie Gras: How to Serve
This page
discusses how to serve foie gras.
There are two
main approaches to serving fois gras, depending on whether it
is:
-
Store-bought, ready to serve: Almost everyone (99%)
serves ready-made foie gras, including most medium-class
restaurants in France. The following topics on this page
discuss options for serving ready-made foie gras.
-
Prepared
and cooked yourself: In this case, it is generally
served hot. The individual recipe you use should specify how
you should serve it, as not all of the following is
applicable for home-made foie gras.
When
Foie Gras is
normally served as a starter (prior to the main course). In some
cases it is the main course, but this is relatively rare. For
most people, foie gras is far too rich to be a main course.
Temperature
Ready-made foie
gras can be served at room temperature, or slightly chilled. The
warmer it is, the smoother its texture and the fuller the taste.
However, most people prefer it slightly chilled as they find the
taste excessively rich at room temperature.
Consequently, if
you have stored the Foie Gras at room termperature (e.g. canned
foie gras) you may wish to put it in the refrigerator for a
while before serving, so that it will be slightly chilled.
Alternatively,
if you have been keeping it in the fridge, remove it from the
fridge an hour or so before serving so that it can warm up. Many
people suggest removing it from the fridge only 20 minutes
before serving, but connoisseurs recognise that the full taste
is only appreciated if the fois gras is not cold, so suggest
that it is removed from the refrigerator almost an hour before
served.
So, while foie
gars should be chilled rather than cold, the exact amount of
chilling is a matter of personal taste. In general, people who
are new to foie gras prefer moderately chilled while some who
eat it on a regular basis tend towards merely lightly chilled.
Dividing
into individual portions
The foie gras
should be cut into slices about 1 cm thick. If you have been
keeping it in the Fridge, wait until it warms up before cutting
it, as cold foie gras tends to break rather than cut. Use a
sharp smooth-edged knife (i.e. don't use a knife with teeth) to
cut the foie gras. If the foie gras is still a bit chilled,
running the knife under hot water and then drying the knife
makes it easier to cut.
Place one or two
slices on each plate. As foie gras is very rich, it is not
served in large quantities. Approximately 50g (2 ounces) per
person is about right.
Serve
with...
Foie gras can be
eaten on its own with a fork.
However, with
the exception of connoisseurs, most people find that it is too
rich on its own. The most traditional accompaniment is toast
made from thinly cut white bread, cut into triangles. Guests cut
off pieces and place them on the toast before eating. In
practice, most people actually spread the foie gras on the
bread, despite the "rule" that one should cut chunks rather than
spread.
There are many
other ways of serving foie gras. It often comes with a few
leaves of lettuce, although this is mainly for decoration. If
lettuce or salad is provided, it should be without salad
dressing as salad dressing would clash with the taste of the
foie gras.
In general,
sweet-sour items go best with foie gras. For example, cranberry
jelly or oriental chutney often find favour.
In any case,
remember that the centrepiece of any foie gras dish is the foie
gras itself. One can provide toast, a few leaves of lettuce, or
even some jelly. However, the plate should be dominated by the
foie gras itself. It is better to serve it on its own, or with
just a bit of toast, rather than hide it (either visually or
taste-wise) by too much of other accompaniments.
Drinks
Many people
enjoy a small glass of dessert wine (a dessert wine is a very
sweet wine normally typically served with desserts, but can also
be served as an aperitif or with certain dishes) with foie gras. The best
choice for this is a good Sauternes (if you can afford it). Some
people will argue that a dessert wine takes away from the taste
of the foie gras, others that it complements it very well. I
personally enjoy it but I always ask before serving it to my
guests as I've found that about half of them strongly agree and
half strongly disagree.
Although
Sauternes is the best dessert wine to serve with foie gras, you
can also serve Juraçon, Monbazillac or Bergerac. Foie Gras from
Alsace is often accompanied by Alsatian wines (e.g.
Gewurtztraimer, preferably a sweet late harvest).
Some people
enjoy a port with foie gras. Personally I feel that this does
the foie gras an injustice, but if people enjoy it..............
More about
Foie Gras
For more
information, click on the
Foie Gras Recipe Home.
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