The ancient Egyptians, who hunted for a bird, learned to make a real delicacy from game, and when they tasted the taste of the prepared food, they started breeding it. The originality of the dish was given by figs, which were fed to geese and ducks. Foie gras made from duck liver took its place on the tables that were set during feasts.
Chefs from France changed the recipe of the product a little and, grinding with lard, they got a real masterpiece. In Europe, the delicacy is popular not only in this country, it is served in restaurants in Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, and the USA.
Types of cooking foie gras
Foie gras is prepared by experienced chefs working in restaurants. In the 18th century, goose liver served as the raw material for the delicacy, now it has been replaced by duck liver, for which birds of the Barbary and Mulard species are fed, which are not as whimsical as geese.
The liver is put on the table in different forms:
- raw;
- pasteurized;
- canned.
A fresh product is presented in the daily diet of the French. They process it differently. They put such a liver on the table that it is prepared in various ways in dishes made of clay or ceramics.
Raw, this delicacy serves as a snack served at Christmas, cut into small slices. The pasteurized liver does not spoil for a long time, therefore it is sold in stores as a semi-finished product. The canned product is stored for a long time without losing its taste, if left in its own juice.
Foie gras is seasoned with sour sauce, served with mushrooms, baked with vegetables. Pies are also stuffed with cookies. Parfait made from it is eaten with hot soup or with drinks, mousse is used as the basis for desserts, which are served in bowls with eclairs or toast.
Foie gras will turn out tender if the bird is fed using a special technology. According to it, ducks and geese are grown on special farms in France. Up to a month, chicks eat ordinary food, walking in the open. Then I put them in cages, and ingredients that contain a significant amount of starch and protein are added to the diet.
From two and a half months, birds are fed through a special tube, forcing them to forcibly eat ten times the norm of food. Not later than three weeks they are slaughtered. The organ for which this is done increases in weight to 600g.
The liver of ducks fed with corn differs in exquisite taste. In many countries, they refuse the delicacy, because they believe that birds are tortured using the gavage method.
How to cook duck liver foie gras at home
Gourmet cooks believe that ingredients containing minerals and acids can prolong a person's life. How true this is, experts do not undertake to judge. But the fact that the pate has an excellent taste, everyone agrees.
Watch the video about homemade duck liver pate.
In addition to the main ingredient, you need a quarter glass of Port wine and a sauce that can be berry or fruit. For the first option, 200 g of blackcurrant, 100 ml of Sherry are taken. You will also need vegetable oil. In both cases, pepper and salt are needed, as well as a spoonful of honey. For another type, apple juice with pulp and soy sauce are used in the same amount.
The process of preparing a homemade masterpiece consists of the following steps:
- Films and bile ducts are pulled out of the liver. It is washed and placed in a bowl, where it is salted, peppered, poured with Port wine. Take out to the cold for 60 minutes.
- The baking sheet and the foil in which the main ingredient is wrapped are greased with oil.
- After making several punctures, the liver is sent to a heated oven for half an hour. A lot of fat comes out of it, which needs to be removed.
- The finished product is cut into pieces.
Even when using a simple recipe, duck liver foie gras at home turns out to be tasty and satisfying. It is better to eat it with vegetables, since it is difficult for the stomach to digest such a delicacy.
To make a sauce for the finished dish, apple juice with honey and soy sauce is boiled over low heat in a saucepan until it becomes thick.
To get it from currants, the berries are fried in a pan with fat for about a minute. They add wine and a spoonful of sweet bee product and continue cooking.
To pamper the family with a delicacy, various options for foie gras pate recipes are selected. At home, it is made using different ingredients - grapes, mushrooms, cognac. Usually a liver snack turns out to be quite satisfying. You can cook it with less calories. After removing the films, the main component in the amount of a kilogram is soaked in a liter of milk overnight.
In the morning, frying is done from onion, cut into rings, and grated carrots. After drying, the liver is placed in a pan with vegetables and stewed, poured with dry white wine, for 15 minutes under the lid, after sweetening, salting and peppering. You can add nutmeg, which will give the pate an original taste.
The mass must be passed through a meat grinder a couple of times, and then use a blender. The liver will not be dry if you pour a little broth into it.
In the process of preparing a delicacy, you can use cream or sour cream. The snack will become softer and acquire a peculiar taste. Decorate the delicacy with parsley, basil or cilantro, add a few cloves of garlic. This will make it fragrant.
The liver is fried not only in vegetable oil, but also in duck fat. Then the foie gras is more satisfying. Some gourmets prefer bitter pâté. For this, ground ginger is added. To make the appetizer spicier, put hot pepper seeds.
Each hostess can add seasoning or spices that she likes best. This will give the dish originality.
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