Foie Gras on Pain d'épices toast with Homemade Fig Chutney

Family from France came to visit us recently with hands full of goodies not easily gotten in Ireland !
In the bag, a Bloc de Foie Gras avec morceaux (Block of Foie Gras with pieces of Foie Gras), much easier to transport than raw or fresh Foie Gras.

Traditionally a Christmas and New-Years Eve amuse-bouche, it's usually served on toast and enjoyed with a sweet wine. If you have the occasion this year, here are some tips on how to best enjoy your Foie Gras :

Depending on your taste, it should be served at room temperature or slightly chilled. I would recommend it slightly chilled as it can become a bit too rich at room temperature.

Slices should be about 1 cm thick. If too cold, the foie gras tends to break when cutting it into slices. Use a smooth sharp knife and run it under hot water before slicing.

Foie Gras shouldn't be spread on toast, but just placed on top of it : this is not pâté ! And since it's the centerpiece of your toast, be sure not to overpower it with any other ingredients.

We recommend to enjoy it with a glass of Sauterne, characterized by the balance of sweetness and a zest of acidity, it complements the Foie Gras perfectly. It really depends on your personal taste, but it is generally admitted that it pairs well with a sweet, dry or semi-dry white wine. You should avoid most red wines although it can go well with a sweet Port.

Today, we are serving the Foie Gras with slices of Spiced Bread (see recipe here) and a sweet, fig chutney.

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30 minutes

25 minutes

6 toasts

Ingredients

For the toast
 6 slices of Pain d'épices
230 grams of Foie Gras
Pinch of kosher salt

For the Fig Chutney
150 grams of dried figs
75 grams of brown sugar
1 onion, diced thinly
150 milliliters hot water
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
50 ml of rice wine vinegar

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Make the chutney

>> Boil 150ml of water, pour it in a bowl. Place the dried figs in the tea. Cover the bowl and leave them 10 minutes.

>> Meanwhile, dice 1 onion thinly, and start cooking them with a bit of butter over medium heat in a sauce pan until soft.

>> Take the dried figs off the water and dice them thinly. Add them to the onion with the brown sugar. Don't discard the water.

>> Cook for 5 minutes and add 4 tablespoon of the tea.

>> Add the ginger, nutmeg, rice wine vinegar and let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until the figs are soft. Leave it to rest until room temperature or cold.

Do the toast

>> If your Foie Gras is in the fridge, take it out and leave it rest for an hour before trying to slice it. 

>> Cut 6 slices of Pain d'épices, and cover them with a teaspoon of chutney. 

>> Slice the Foie Gras, about 1cm thin, with a smooth sharp knife. Run the knife in hot water before every slice. 

>> Place each slice of Foie Gras on the chutney, and add a pinch of kosher salt on top of the toast.