Foie gras
Anas platyrhynchos domesticus · Poultry
Top 10 pairings
French for "fat liver": a duck or goose liver swollen with fat by force-feeding. Pale, dense and rich, it tastes buttery and faintly sweet, and is seared fast or set in a cool terrine. Some places ban or restrict it on welfare grounds.
Picking a good onedrag
Cold and pale: ivory, firm, near odourlessOff: tacky, sour, grey-green
Counter freshEveryday bestThe UK says cook it to 70°C for 2 min; raw, torchon or molten sears fall short. Pregnant? Avoid it (vitamin A).
Colour and veinsBeige or rosy, a few red veins
Feel of the lobeCold and supple, smooth, not tacky
SmellMild, milky, faintly bloody