Foie Gras Parfait Recipe

Prepare and season foie gras

Trim any remaining veins and sinew from the foie gras. Cut the lobe into roughly 2–3 cm pieces. Place pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with 4 g salt and the white pepper, and pour the cognac over. Gently mix, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to macerate.

Cook foie gras gently

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Place the foie gras pieces in a vacuum bag or a small roasting tray; add the heavy cream and the remaining 2 g salt. If using vacuum, seal gently. If using a tray, cover tightly with foil. Place in a water bath (bain-marie) and cook in the oven for 12–18 minutes, until foie gras is barely set but still soft (internal roughly 50–55°C / 122–131°F). Remove from oven and chill briefly in an ice bath for 5 minutes.

Blend into parfait

Transfer the slightly cooled foie gras and any rendered fat to a blender. Add softened butter and the bloomed gelatin (if using powdered gelatin, dissolve it first per package instructions and add warm). Purée on high until absolutely smooth (about 1–2 minutes). Taste and adjust salt/pepper if needed. If the mix is too loose, chill 10–15 minutes and blend again to achieve a spreadable, mousse-like texture.

Mold and chill

Spoon the parfait into a terrine mold or individual ramekins, smoothing the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until firm. Reserve any liquid fat filtered from cooking for optional use when serving.

Bloom gelatin

If using sheet gelatin, soak 1 g sheet in cold water for 5 minutes. If powdered, sprinkle over 5 ml cold water and let bloom.

Temper and cook custard

Warm the milk and cream in a saucepan until it begins to steam (do not boil). Whisk the 2 egg yolks with the salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly pour about one-third of the warm milk into the yolks to temper, whisking constantly. Return tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook very gently over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (nappe), about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add gelatin and cool

Squeeze excess water from the bloomed gelatin and stir it into the warm custard until fully dissolved. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Cool quickly in an ice bath, stirring occasionally until lukewarm. Cover and refrigerate until set but still spoonable (about 1–2 hours).

Prepare purée

If using whole fruit, cook soft fruits lightly with a splash of water until they break down; puree in a blender and pass through a fine sieve to yield 200 g smooth purée. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice.

Bloom gelatin and combine

Soak 2 g gelatin sheet in cold water 5 minutes. Warm 2–3 tablespoons of the purée (not boiling) and dissolve the squeezed gelatin into the warm purée. Stir back into the remaining purée until fully combined. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity.

Set gelée

Pour the gelée into a shallow dish or small molds to set (or use a spoon to place small quenelles onto a tray). Chill in fridge until set, about 1–2 hours. For serving, cut into small cubes or use a spoon to make small puddles that will sit atop the parfait.

Remove the parfait terrine from the refrigerator 10–15 minutes before serving so it softens slightly for spreading. If unmolding, briefly dip the mold in warm water for 3–5 seconds and invert onto a plate.

Spoon or pipe a small pool of the chilled savory custard alongside or under slices of parfait, and place 1–2 small quenelles or cubes of the daily fruit gelée on top or beside the parfait for a bright contrast.

Garnish with microgreens, scatter a pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and serve with toasted brioche or thin slices of country bread. Optionally drizzle a little of the reserved rendered foie gras fat over warm toast before spreading for extra richness.