Mousse de Foie Gras

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-cup (480 ml) smooth metal mould or timbale
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk or hand mixer
• •Large bowl for an ice-water bath
• •Flexible spatula
• •Thin skewer
• •Chilled serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Clothe the mould

   Use Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) to clothe the chilled 2-cup mould with its thin, even film of savoury jelly and complete the restrained decoration. A bowl of ice water will hold the mould steady while you work, and the refrigerator takes over afterward. If the jelly runs down and gathers thickly at the bottom, it is too warm. Pour it back, chill the jelly and mould separately, then coat again. Ça se rattrape.

   The coating should veil the mould, not line it like window glass. A thick jacket of jelly overwhelms the mousse and makes unmoulding clumsy.
2. 2

   Finish the mousse

   Prepare the foie gras variation of Préparation de la Mousse de Tomates (No. 814) exactly as its linked method directs, changing only the principal ingredient. When that preparation calls for cream, stop whipping while it still falls from the whisk in a soft, heavy ribbon and has no firm peaks. Fold it into the almost-cold base without beating out its air. If the cream has become too firm, fold in a spoonful reserved from the measured unwhipped cream to relax it. If it looks grainy or buttery, start the cream again; separated cream cannot give a silky mousse.

   The base must be almost cold but still fluid when the cream enters. A warm base collapses the cream, while a base already setting in the bowl leaves rubbery threads of gelatine.
3. 3

   Fill without bubbles

   Spoon the finished Préparation de la Mousse de Tomates (No. 814), made with foie gras, into the mould clothed through Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916). Add it in three portions, pressing each gently into the fluting and drawing a thin skewer around the sides to release trapped air without disturbing the jelly. Smooth the surface level. If the mousse begins to set before the mould is filled, stand its bowl briefly over barely warm water and fold only until it flows again; do not heat it.

   Tap the filled mould once or twice against a folded towel, not the bare counter. A hard knock can crack the delicate jelly clothing.
4. 4

   Chill until set

   Cover the mould without letting the wrapping touch the mousse and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Leave it undisturbed and do not freeze it. The gelatine needs a slow, even chill to form a tender structure around the cream; freezing makes the mousse weep and turns its texture coarse when thawed.

5. 5

   Unmould cleanly

   Chill the serving platter, then loosen only the top rim with the point of a thin knife. Wrap the mould for 5 seconds in a towel dipped in warm water and wrung nearly dry, place the platter over it, and invert them together. Lift the mould straight upward. If it refuses to release, return the warm towel for another 2 seconds. Patience, not force; too much warmth melts the jelly coat before the centre lets go.

6. 6

   Serve cool

   Let the unmoulded mousse stand outside the refrigerator for 10 minutes so the foie gras softens enough to show its full flavour while the mousse remains neatly set. Cut with a thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices, or let guests spread it directly onto toasted brioche or pain de mie. Cooking well is not cooking fancy. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use smooth, fully cooked foie gras or foie gras mi-cuit as the principal ingredient in the linked preparation, not a raw lobe. Raw foie gras renders heavily under heat and will not behave like the smooth cooked ingredient this cold mousse requires.
• •A fine-mesh sieve is the honest home equivalent of the classical tammy. Press the base through while it is still supple, then scrape the underside of the sieve; that last smooth purée is often the finest part.
• •Half-whipped means thickened but flowing. Lift the whisk and look: the cream should leave a trail that sinks back into the bowl. If it stands in peaks, it has gone farther than this mousse wants.
• •Metal chills quickly and releases cleanly, so a small smooth timbale or fluted metal mould is ideal. A glass bowl works, but warm it cautiously during unmoulding because glass holds heat longer.
• •Serve with small glasses of Sauternes or another balanced moelleux, and keep the toast plain. The mousse already carries all the richness and perfume it needs.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare and fill the mould the day before serving. An overnight chill gives the gelatine time to set evenly and leaves the flavour rounder than a hurried short chill.
• •The jelly-clothed mould can be completed several hours before the mousse is ready and held covered in the refrigerator.
• •Keep the finished mousse covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Do not freeze it; the cream becomes grainy and the jelly releases water after thawing.
• •Toast the brioche or pain de mie shortly before serving so it remains crisp beneath the soft mousse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 90g)