Pan-Fried Foie Gras in Gingerbread Crust Recipe

Foie gras and gingerbread - two festive products, two symbols of Alsatian gastronomy - come together here in a perfectly harmonious pairing. The gingerbread crust wraps the foie gras in a lightly caramelised, golden and crispy coating whose aromas of honey, cinnamon and anise melt into the rich, unctuous fat of the liver. The balsamic reduction provides the acidity that cuts through and balances everything. A festive dish of remarkable elegance, prepared in 15 minutes.

Alsatian gingerbread - the secret ingredient

Alsace is the world capital of gingerbread - and more specifically the village of Gertwiller, just a few kilometres from Obernai, which is home to two of the oldest and most renowned gingerbread houses in France. Alsatian gingerbread is distinguished by its richness in spices - cinnamon, anise, cardamom, cloves - and its slightly moist texture that makes it a choice cooking ingredient. Ground into fine breadcrumbs, it creates an aromatically unmatched crust on foie gras, poultry or game.

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Ingredients for 4 people

• 8 slices of raw foie gras (approx. 60 to 80 g each)
• 4 slices of gingerbread (preferably Gertwiller gingerbread)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3 tablespoons goose fat
• 50 ml balsamic vinegar
• Salt, pepper
• Rocket salad and fresh herbs to serve

Method

1. Remove the foie gras slices from the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before cooking - room temperature foie gras cooks more evenly. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
2. Blitz the gingerbread slices to obtain fine, even crumbs. Add the flour and mix. Pour into a shallow dish.
3. Coat the foie gras slices in the gingerbread crumbs on both sides. Press gently with the palm of your hand to help the crust adhere.
4. Heat the goose fat in a pan over very high heat. When hot and slightly smoking, sear the foie gras slices for 1 minute on each side until the crust is golden. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer immediately to serving plates.
5. Deglaze the still-hot pan with the balsamic vinegar - take care of splashes. Reduce for 30 seconds to 1 minute over high heat until you have a slightly syrupy sauce.
6. Drizzle a line of balsamic reduction over each slice of foie gras. Serve immediately with rocket salad and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

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Tips and variations

• Choosing the foie gras : choose raw duck foie gras of about 500 to 600 g, sliced 1.5 to 2 cm thick - too thin and it melts completely, too thick and the inside stays raw.
• The very hot pan : the secret to a beautiful golden crust and a still-pearlescent interior. A pan that is too cool and the foie gras renders too much fat and loses its texture.
• Never keep warm : pan-fried foie gras must be served immediately - it continues to cook off the heat and cools very quickly. Prepare everything in advance and sear at the very last moment.
• The balsamic reduction : for an even more refined sauce, prepare it ahead in a small pan with a tablespoon of honey and a few peppercorns.
• Accompaniments : fig or caramelised onion chutney, apple compote with calvados or a few slices of fresh mango pair beautifully with this dish.
• Wine pairing : an Alsatian gewurztraminer vendanges tardives or a Sauternes - the sweetness of the wine echoes the spiced aromas of the gingerbread and the richness of the foie gras.

Find our selection of Gertwiller gingerbread and Alsatian specialities on decoalsace.fr - delivery across Europe.