Torchon of Foie Gras Poached in Duck Fat Recipe

Mix the salt, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasonings and then the Port evenly over the foie gras. Place the liver on a square of fine cheesecloth; double the thickness if the cloth is coarsely woven. Roll up to wrap the liver in the cheesecloth; twist the ends to form a compact 7-inch log. Tie the ends with string. Let it stand in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator, for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 160°F. In a small saucepan, heat the rendered fat to 100°F and pour enough to measure ½ inch into the bottom of a 2-quart heatproof glass loaf pan or terrine. Place the liver in the pan and pour on enough of the remaining fat to completely cover the liver.

Set the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until the center of the liver registers 120°F to 125°F. Very carefully transfer the liver in its cheesecloth to a side dish to drain. Strain the fat from the pan into a bowl and reserve.

Roll the still-wrapped foie gras in a kitchen towel and hold it over the bowl of fat. Twist the towel ends to shape the liver and to squeeze out a little more fat. Unwrap the liver and pack it into a 2- or 3-cup terrine or bowl. Press the liver into the mold with your hands or the back of a large spoon. Let it stand for 2 to 3 hours, until cooled to room temperature.

Cover the liver with a ¼-inch-thick layer of the reserved fat; if the fat has cooled too much, heat it gently until just pourable. When the entire terrine is completely covered, cover it with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil to seal well. Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days to allow the flavor to develop. Let return to room temperature before unmolding and slicing. Or scoop it out with a warm spoon at the table.

If the cooked liver is completely enrobed in fat, it will keep up to a week under refrigeration.

The fat from a foie gras is precious and should be saved separately from other fat. I love it with scrambled eggs or omelets, but you can use it instead of duck fat in any of the recipes in this book.

Know your oven. Depending on the size and shape of the terrine, cooking times will vary, but the slower the better for the greatest liver terrines. And the longer you wait to serve it the better it is: The second day it is eatable, but it really becomes fabulous about day five.

Another French trick for easily removing the foie gras from the mold is to cover it tightly, turn it upside down, place on a rack in the sink and pour a cup of very hot water over the bottom to help loosen the inside.