The famous delicacy of foie gras, along with frog legs and croissants, is associated with France all over the world. A dish of light pink color and a delicate creamy flavor, obtained from the liver of a duck or goose. Birds raised on special farms are forcibly fattened, due to which their liver increases by 8-10 times. So - foie gras, what is it? About the history of the popular dish, the subtleties of cooking and the useful qualities of the product, we will consider in our article.

History of occurrence

Despite the fact that France is called the birthplace of this aristocratic dish, this delicacy originally appeared in ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians noticed that the liver of fattened geese or wild ducks, which gain weight before a long flight, has a particularly delicate taste. Subsequently, a delicious meal traveled around the world, but it was the French who finally improved the recipe for the dish and set up the production of the product on an industrial scale.

In the 18th century, a certain Marquis de Contade, in preparation for the reception of guests, instructed his cook to prepare an unusual dish that could surprise all those invited. Without thinking twice, the cook mixed minced bird's liver with bacon, and used the resulting consistency as a filling for the dough. The fame of the new meal spread throughout the country, and foie gras which in French means " fatty liver”, has become the pride of the national cuisine.

Bird for foie gras

Initially, as the main ingredient, foie gras included goose liver. Now about 90% of all products are made from duck liver. This is due to the fact that the goose is a bird that is especially demanding in terms of self-care, and this, in turn, leads to an increase in the cost of the product. For future food, ducklings of two breeds are grown:

• « barbary» - Muscovy duck, refers to a large species of animal. The mass of an adult drake reaches 5-6 kilograms, which exceeds the weight of most breeds. The main feature of "barbary" is considered to be excellent resistance to diseases and infections.
• « Mulard» - the absence of a record mass is compensated by unpretentiousness to its content, stability in weight gain and adaptation to local food. The liver of this particular hybrid breed is ideal for making foie gras.

The first month of their life, ducklings are formed naturally, after which they begin to receive an unlimited amount of food. After 4 months, the living creatures begin to be forced to feed, bringing the weight of the liver to 600-700 grams.

How to cook foie gras

This gastronomic masterpiece can be prepared not only by an experienced chef, but also by any housewife. There are a lot of recipes. Let's take a look at two of them.

Classic foie gras tablet .

• Goose or duck liver - 650 g;
• Pork fillet - 350 g;
• Salo - 350 g;
• Salt - 1 tablespoon;
• Milk;
• Cognac - 40 g;
• Truffle or porcini mushroom;
• Spices: bay leaf and pepper.

Pretty affordable products, with the exception of an expensive truffle, which, without losing taste, replaced by porcini mushroom.

Cooking process:

1. It is soaked in milk, and then stuffed with small pieces of mushroom, about 450 grams of liver. Before putting the workpiece to marinate, the product is poured abundantly with cognac.
2. The meat fillet and the remaining goose liver are passed through a meat grinder three times. To make the resulting mass as soft and tender as possible, you need to use a fine grate. Cognac, which was used for pickling, is mixed into the minced meat, salt and pepper are added.
3. The walls and bottom of the round shape should be overlaid with a small layer of minced meat. Small pieces of the liver are placed inside, which are closed with the remnants of minced meat. The top is covered with pieces of bacon and bay leaf.
4. The form is placed in a water bath in the oven for half an hour. After cooking is completed, the bay leaf and lard are removed, leaving the dish itself in an appetizing shell of fat.
5. Minced foie gras is served chilled.

Fried foie gras.

This recipe is considered one of the most common. For cooking you will need:

• Duck liver - 450 g;
• Pepper, salt, green salad leaves.

Cooking process:

1. The liver is cut into two parts and placed in the refrigerator for 30 - 40 minutes.
2. Salt and pepper the cooled product, put it in a heated pan.
3. Fry each side for 2 minutes, then place in the oven in a water bath for 20 minutes.
4. We decorate the finished dish with green salad leaves.

When frying, add oil to the pan is not worth it. The liver, during heat treatment, releases a huge amount of its own fat, on which it cooks. While cooking in the oven, baste the foie gras with your own fat every 5 minutes.

Useful properties of the product

The presence of vitamins and amino acids in goose liver is not the main reason for the popularity of this delicacy. But nonetheless, foie gras lovers will be interested to know What:

• People who eat this dish every day do not suffer from atherosclerosis;
• The presence of a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, lowers cholesterol;
• In the department of Landes (it is here that foie gras production accounts for 22% of the total world volume), a large percentage of centenarians lives;
• Duck liver is the record holder for the content of B vitamins, which improve metabolism and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

A properly prepared dish can provide the body of an adult with the daily norm of most vitamins and minerals.

Opponents of the dish

A person who has tried foie gras for the first time will be very surprised when he learns about the number of animal protection organizations demanding a ban on this dish. The reason lies in the inhumane attitude to the cultivation of poultry, namely to force-feeding. In some countries and in some states of America, the production of poultry for this delicacy is prohibited by law.

Supporters claim that they do not perform any violent actions on geese, and after stopping " gavage”(this is what force feeding is called) all the organs of the bird take on normal sizes, without subsequently causing animal pain and discomfort.

You have discovered the favorite delicacy of millions of gourmets from all over the world - foie gras. What is it people learned about 4000 years ago, and now this dish has become one of the most popular delicacies of our time. This gourmet dish, traditional for Western Europe, the USA and Japan, has also found fans in our country. We hope that the above recipes will help embellish the festive table and surprise your family and friends with an unusual dish.

Video tutorial on cooking foie gras