To make a successful foie gras terrine, you need a good foie gras of about 500 g, a terrine dish and a temperature probe that will let you cook it to the exact degree.
You can use just the foie gras with salt and pepper, even a little alcohol, or add fruit (apples, pears, figs…) that will cut through the richness a little. That’s what I prefer — I find you appreciate the foie gras better that way.
You’re spoilt for choice: Coteaux du Layon, Coteaux de l’Aubance, Côtes de Gascogne, sweet Côtes de Duras, Petit or Gros Manseng, Côtes du Gers, Jurançon — and if you like sweeter wines, Loupiac or Saussignac (all French sweet and off-dry whites).
Choose organic wines, which among other things have lower sulphite levels (but not only that), so you don’t get a headache!
They’re generally less sweet.
Take it out of the fridge two hours before deveining it.
Meanwhile, poach the peeled pears in a pan of water with the sugar (just covering them) for 5 or 10 minutes.
Remove the veins from the foie gras. Personally, I only take out the biggest ones and damage the foie gras as little as possible. Some people shred the liver to remove everything.
Slice the pears thinly and let them cool.
Cut the foie gras into slices.
Mix the salt and pepper in a bowl and sprinkle it over the slices of foie gras.
In a terrine dish, alternate foie gras and slices of pear.
Boil a pan of water. Pour the boiling water into a dish to cook the terrine in.
Heat your oven to 100°C in conventional mode (no fan).
Place the dish holding the terrine in the oven. Insert the temperature probe into the foie gras and set the temperature you want: between 50°C and 70°C (I set 70°C for a cooked foie gras).
When it comes out of the oven, let it cool a little.
Remove the excess fat — keep it for cooking if you like making sarladaise potatoes or other dishes in good duck fat.
Then lay a small board covered with foil on top of the terrine and put weights on it to press it down.
Rest it in the fridge for at least 48 hours.
Serve with country bread, walnut bread, fig or raisin bread, or even toasted sliced bread for those who prefer.
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