A taste of foie gras gives way to both flavor and texture. A delicacy that touches nearly all four senses, foie gras is often thought of as luxurious.
Foie gras, a buttery delicacy made from duck or goose liver, is an ancient food, and while it’s most popular in modern-day France, it has existed since the 1st century, B.C.E. Geese and ducks naturally overeat in preparation for long flights, making their livers extra fatty, resulting in a creamy texture.
While foie gras has attracted controversy — some question the way that foie gras producers mimic the animals’ natural overeating by intentionally overfeeding them — producers and those that serve foie gras argue it’s an important dish that celebrates French heritage and gastronomy.
Regardless of debate, foie gras will indeed grace the menus of European-influenced restaurants. Charleston is not exempt from this dish, but it sometimes falls below the radar among the New American favorites.
For those who may not know where to start, here’s where to try foie gras in Charleston.
Zero George offers the dish lightly cured
Zero George is cozy, and the smell of its dishes positively engulf the senses and the intimate space. Dining here is a decadent experience that brings splendor to mind by the time the first course is received.
Chef Vinson Petrillo said Zero George gets its foie gras from Hudson Valley Foie Gras in New York for its fat ratio and color.
“We lightly cure our foie gras with a little five spice and rum and make a pipeable mousse. We fill a savory buñuelo with the mousse and top it with a gel made from sea buckthorn,” Petrillo said.
He suggested pairing Zero George’s foie gras with a sparkling Krug Grande Cuvee 170 eme edition or a vibrant white wine, like Lise & Bertrand Jousset Premier Rendez-vous Montlouis Chenin Blanc.
Newcomer Southbound drops a unique preparation
Live-fire cooking restaurant Southbound consistently offers a seared foie gras preparation on its ever-changing menu. Ryan Jones, co-owner of Southbound with his wife, Kelleanne, said this preparation goes back to their days in Connecticut.
Foie gras is a graded food, categorized by A, B, or C grade in descending quality. Seared foie gras, Ryan Jones said, can only be prepared using A-grade foie gras and must be properly cleaned.
“You have to put a great sear on the product, and let it just temper so it’s still soft and gets that good caramelization on it,” he said.
Because it’s a rich and high-fat food, Jones balances it out with something sweet and acidic. Southbound’s menu changes daily, but the foie gras is often served with green apple jam to offset the richness of the dish.
Foie gras two ways at Maison
Co-owner of Maison and classically trained chef Vandy Vanderwarker is no stranger to French cuisine.
Maison serves both cold and hot foie gras with vastly different preparations.
Maison’s cold foie gras is cured overnight and then poached. The following day, the foie is served with pickled pluot and a concord grape coulis, which balances the richness and renders a well-balanced foie gras, served with brioche.
Vanderwarker serves this dish as a classic foie gras torchon. “Torchon” means “towel” in French, and the dish gets its name from its rolled shape.
Ever the innovator, Vanderwarker’s hot preparation uses foie gras as an accoutrement to a duck confit.
The duck is cooked slowly until tender. He then pan sears quarter-sized nubs of foie gras. As the fat is rendering, he adds three different kinds of lentils and covers the legumes with the foie gras fat.
Vanderwarker then deglazes the pan with vinegar.
“It becomes a foie gras Daniel’s vinaigrette, made with chunks of foie gras that’s coating the lentils,” he said. “The duck confit goes on top of that, and it’s served with a spiced duck caramel.”
By preparing the dish this way, Vanderwarker said that you keep the fat and value of the foie gras because it’s incorporated into the set.
Brilliant.
Wherever you fall on the issue, you cannot deny that Charleston’s foie gras is a reckoning force created mindfully and thoughtfully sourced for quality. Grab a vin blanc or Champagne, and enjoy the meal.
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