FOIE AND MISO
Serves 6
I love foie in small, decadent morsels. Though luscious and silky, it’s very rich and after the fifth bite, it can be like eating a whole stick of butter, plain. In this twist on classic miso soup, we create a sweet, earthy complement to offset the decadence of the seared foie gras. It’s served with lightly sautéed trumpet mushrooms instead of tofu, a chiffonade of spinach instead of scallions, and a sherry vinegar gastrique to balance the sweet, rich flavors. A gastrique is a classic French sauce that gives you a sweet and sour accent with complexity from the vinegar. The miso paste is blended with fresh apple juice to boost its natural sweetness and then turned into a piping hot broth that is poured around the foie gras at the table.
Maybe one day we’ll be able to take this dish to the next level by transforming mushrooms and apples into a vegetarian foie gras.
MISO SOUP:
45 Gala apples or 500 grams apple juice
25 grams miso paste
1.5 grams salt
SHERRY GASTRIQUE:
100 grams sherry vinegar
50 grams sugar
0.75 gram salt
TRUMPET MUSHROOMS:
5 grams canola oil
100 grams trumpet mushrooms, cleaned and diced
0.5 gram salt
SPINACH:
60 grams baby spinach
SEARED FOIE GRAS:
120 grams foie gras, cut into 6 equal portions
Salt for seasoning
15 grams canola oil
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Juicer (optional)
MISO SOUP:
If making your own apple juice, quarter the apples and remove the seeds, and run the apples through a juicer. Weigh out 500 grams of juice and put it in a medium saucepot with the miso and salt. Whisk to dissolve the salt and miso and then set over medium-high heat. Bring the soup to a simmer and reduce the mixture by one-third, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to plate.
SHERRY GASTRIQUE:
Put the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepot set over medium-low heat. Slowly reduce the vinegar until it becomes syrupy. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and keep at room temperature until ready to plate.
TRUMPET MUSHROOMS:
Put the oil in a medium sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, season with salt, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Keep warm until ready to plate.
SPINACH:
Remove the stems from the spinach leaves, stack about 5 leaves at a time together, roll them into a cylinder and slice them approximately ‰ inch thick. Reserve the slices in the refrigerator until ready to plate.
SEARED FOIE GRAS:
Season the foie gras with salt and let it cure on a plate for 5 minutes. Line a plate with paper towels. Put the canola oil in a sauté pan set over high heat and when the oil is hot and has just begun to smoke, sear the foie pieces until you start to see the edges of the sides turn brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, flip over the foie, and baste with its own fat. Remove from the pan and let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes on the prepared plate.
TO FINISH:
Place 1 portion of Seared Foie Gras in the center of each soup bowl. Add 15 grams of Trumpet Mushrooms and 10 grams of Spinach to each bowl. Squeeze one 3-gram dot of Sherry Gastrique to the side of the foie. Serve the bowls and then ladle 75 grams of hot Miso Soup in each bowl at the table. Instruct the diners to stir and enjoy.
