Foie gras with roasted pineapple
FOIE gras is notoriously difficult to cook. Most chefs end up searing thin slices or scallops of the fattened duck liver and pairing it with something sweet. At Whist, Tim Goodell and his chef Jeff Armstrong, are so entranced with the luxe ingredient they offer a different foie gras each night.
My favorite, so far, is foie gras with roasted pineapple. The texture is astonishing, more like custard than anything else, like a warm version of terrine de foie gras. No skinny slice here but a real hunk, the size of a fist, seared on just two sides in an extremely hot pan and then finished off in the oven. The sweet-tart flavors of roasted pineapple dusted with crushed coriander seed and black pepper and a tangy pink peppercorn gastrique give this foie gras its edge.
Since there’s no sauce to disguise the quality of the foie gras, if you’re going to make this dish, it’s imperative to buy the very best quality of foie gras.
Foie gras
Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Roll the pineapple in the coriander, crushed peppercorns and 2 teaspoons of salt. Set aside.
Cut off a small piece from the end of one of the livers. Cook it over low heat in an ovenproof skillet until all the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Discard the foie gras piece. Place the pineapple in the fat and cook over medium heat until golden brown and fork tender, about 6 to 7 minutes, being sure to brown all sides.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the pineapple for 10 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway through cooking time. Cut each piece into 4 pieces and set aside.
Cut the foie gras into 8 pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 medium cast-iron skillets over high heat until almost smoking. Place 2 pieces of the foie gras in each skillet. Turn off the heat. Sear the foie gras for 30 seconds on each side. (The skillets should be hot enough to sear the foie gras with the heat off.) Transfer the skillets to the oven (still at 500 degrees) and cook until a small sharp knife inserted into the center feels warm to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes. The center of the foie gras should be custard-like with a crisp exterior. Remove the foie gras from the skillets and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining foie gras.
Reheat the pineapple in one of the same skillets over medium heat, just until warmed through, about 2 or 3 minutes.
To assemble, place 1 piece of foie gras and 1 piece of roasted pineapple on each of 8 plates. Drizzle each plate with about 2 teaspoons of the gastrique.
Pink peppercorn gastrique
Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of a medium skillet. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, swirling the pan as the sugar begins to melt. Do not stir. The caramel should be a deep golden brown in about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vinegar carefully; it will bubble up. Stir constantly to make sure the caramel dissolves again evenly. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the peppercorns. (This makes about 1 cup; you’ll have some left over for another use.)
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