We adapted this recipe from one in D’artagnan’s Glorious Game Cookbook, by Ariane Daguin, George Faison, and Joanna Pruess. In her cookbook, Daguin sticks to the traditional French method and cooks foie gras to 120°F, although the USDA recommends cooking foie gras to an internal temperature of 160°F to be sure any harmful bacteria are killed. We tried both methods and prefer Daguin’s; to our tastes, it yielded the perfect degree of doneness. However, we’ve included both options in the procedure.

Whole foie gras can vary in size (goose liver tends to be larger than duck). If your foie gras differs from
the recipe by more than half a pound, increase or decrease the size of the terrine, the weight (see “special equipment,” below), and the seasonings accordingly. If you don’t have an oval terrine, you could use a ceramic soufflé dish or a glass loaf pan that’s just large enough for the foie gras
to fit in snugly. Note that a foie gras terrine is supposed to have a layer of fat—it may look a bit odd, but it’s actually quite delicious.

Makes 10 first-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1(1 1/2-lb) whole raw grade a duck or goose foie gras at room temperature, cleaned and deveined
• 4teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2teaspoon freshly groundwhite pepper
• 1/4cup sauternes or 3 tablespoons armagnac
  accompaniment: toasted slices of pain de mie (dense white sandwich loaf) or baguette
  special equipment: 1 (3- to 4-cup) ceramic terrine, 2c/ 3 inches deep (preferably oval and with a lid); a piece of cardboard trimmed to fitjust inside top of terrine, wrapped well in plastic wrap; and a 3-lb weight(1 or 2 large soup cans)

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 200°F and line a small roasting pan with a folded kitchen towel or 6 layers of paper towels (this provides insulationso bottom of foie gras won’t cook too quickly).

Sprinkle each lobe and any loose pieces of foie gras on both sideswith kosher salt and white pepper. Sprinkle one third of Sauternes in terrine and firmly press large lobe of foie gras, smooth side down,into bottom. (Wedge any loose pieces of foie gras into terrine tomake lobe fit snugly.) Sprinkle with another third of Sauternes. Putsmaller lobe of foie gras, smooth side up, into terrine and firmlypress down to create a flat surface and snug fit. Sprinkle with remaining Sauternes. Cover surface of foie gras with plastic wrap, then cover terrine with lid or foil.

Put terrine (with plastic wrap and lid) in roasting pan and fill roasting pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up side of terrine. Bake in middleof oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into center of foie gras registers 120°F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or 160°F (for USDA standards), about 3 1/2 hours.

Remove terrine from pan. Discard water and remove towel. Return terrine to roasting pan and remove lid. Put wrapped cardboard directly onsurface of foie gras and set weight on cardboard (this will force fat tosurface; don’t worry if fat overflows). Let stand at room temperature20 minutes.

Remove weight and cardboard and spoon any fat that has dripped overside of terrine back onto top (fat will seal terrine). Chill, covered, until solid, at least 1 day.

Unmold foie gras by running a hot knife around edge. Invert onto aplate and reinvert, fat side up, onto serving dish. Cut into slices witha heated sharp knife.

Cooks’ notes:

• Terrine may be made 3 to 5 days ahead, kept chilled in mold with its surface covered with plastic wrap. Once unmolded, terrine keeps, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled, another 3 days.

• Hot terrine lids are hard to grasp with oven mitts; metal tongs are great for grabbing the handle.

Tags: Classic, Foie, Gras, Recipe, Terrine