Christmas, Star Wars, Foie Gras!

Well, another holiday season is whooshing by...you don't realize how little vacation you have until you're in the middle of it and suddenly you realize in two days you're going to be back on your office chair, staring at the computer screen, with the telephone ringing off the hook and a pile of mail on your desk. But we're not there yet, thank goodness. In fact, I still have this week to work - and vacation will start on Friday!

Let's hit fast forward, and see what the holidays will bring.  Saturday, on the 23rd, will be our traditional Christmas dinner with my in-laws. This year, I get to host the party at our apartment. Then everyone will scatter, with the children heading to spend xmas with their partners' families. On Christmas day, I want to see the new Star Wars film. I don't have very high hopes, but I do want to know something - when will movie villains just look and dress like normal people? (Seriously - we know you're evil Dude, you're wearing a long black robe and you have a mask on.)

This year, I'll be making my foie gras in the microwave again! I'm going to get the liver tomorrow, so it will be ready. And dinner this year is couscous - not turkey. Hurrah for no cooking!

Foie gras is like paté that has won the lottery. It is rich, and smooth, and totally delicious. I make mine every year with my boss, Jean Pierre, so here is the recipe:

JEAN PIERRE'S MARVELOUS MICROWAVE FOIE GRAS

1. 1 foie gras (duck preferably), uncooked. Lay it on a large plate that will fit in your microwave oven and devein it. This is not easy - you have to first divide the liver in two, then, with the back of a butter knife, gently tease out the veins from both sides. Some livers have very few and some are just full - you never know what you'll get. Make sure you get them out though, they are stringy and tough. Try to leave the liver intact as possible, but it's not a problem if you end up destroying it searching for veins - it goes into a terrine in the end anyhow.
2. Salt - and this is important - the measure is 12 grams for each kilo of liver. So a regular half-pound liver will take 6 grams of salt. (One teaspoon is 5 grams) Mix the salt with some pepper to taste, and a teaspoon of sugar. Sprinkle he salt mixture all over the liver. Then pour about a half a cup of sweet white wine, (or red or white Port wine) over the liver, cover with cling film and leave to marinate for a couple hours (or overnight).
3. Remove the cling film and put in the microwave oven set on "defrost" or the lowest setting for 3 minutes. Remove  and carefully tip the plate to drain off the excess liquid (there may be a lot).  Put back in the oven and cook again for 3 minutes. Drain again if there is a lot of liquid.
4. This is where you turn the liver over and cook once more for 3 minutes. This time, do not drain. Carefully tip the liver (by now it is practically liquified) into a terrine. Cover with cling film and put a weight on it. This will press the liver into a nice form and make the fat rise to the top. Refrigerate for at least 3 days.
5. Take out of the fridge, slice and spread on toast - sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea-salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy! You can use farmhouse loaf, white bread, whole grain bread, baguette, walnut bread, or my personal favorite - fig bread!

Note: if you cannot get a foie gras, don't try this with regular goose or duck livers. Instead, check out my chicken liver paté recipe:

 it’s so easy and good.

1 lb chicken livers, celery, onion, bay leaf, butter, some all spice, salt, pepper and a dash of Cognac.  I fry the onions in butter, boil the chicken livers with the celery and pepper until cooked through, then I strain the livers and put them in the blender with the Cognac. I add the butter, and my secret is to add some cream to make it less dry, and that’s it. It’s delicious on toast or baguette.

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken livers, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the livers are barely pink inside, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
2. Discard the bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor; process until coarsely pureed. With the machine on, add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Add the Cognac, season with salt and pepper and process until completely smooth. Scrape the pâté into 2 or 3 large ramekins. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pâté and refrigerate until firm. Serve chilled.