Roast foie gras with pickled plums and sake

Ingredients

• 260 gfinely diced onion
• 2red chillies, finely chopped
• 1.7 kgplums, washed and chopped
• 35 gchopped ginger
• 250 gsugar
• 350 mlorange juice
• 500 mlred wine vinegar
• 350 ggrated apple
• 1.3 kgplums
• 200 gsugar
• 35 glime juice
• 600 gplum juice
• 200 gplum wine
• 13 gagar-agar

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the compote

   Put the onion, chillies, chopped plums, ginger, sugar, orange juice, red wine vinegar and grated apple in a pan. Cook until the mixture has a chutney-like consistency, then set aside.

2. 2

   Prepare the plums

   Halve the plums for the gel, leaving the stones in.

3. 3

   Cook sous vide

   Mix the sugar and lime juice with the plums. Cook sous vide at 90°C for 60 minutes.

4. 4

   Pass the juice

   Pass the cooked plum mixture to collect its juice.

5. 5

   Add the setting agent

   Add the plum wine and agar-agar to the juice.

6. 6

   Cook and chill

   Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, then leave it to set in the fridge.

7. 7

   Blend the gel

   Once a firm gel has formed, blitz it and pass the purée. Transfer it to a squeeze bottle.

8. 8

   Roast and plate

   Roast the foie gras and leave it to rest. Spoon compote onto each plate and add dots of plum gel. Set the foie gras on top of the chutney and garnish with slices of pickled plum.

What is roast foie gras with pickled plums?

Foie gras, or fattened liver, is associated with French cooking, while plums, plum wine and sharp pickling bring a fruit-led, Japanese-leaning accent to this version. The recipe pairs roasted foie gras with a cooked plum compote and a separate plum gel.

The contrast is the point: the foie gras is rich, while vinegar, citrus and fruit bring sweetness and acidity. The compote and gel can be prepared before the final roasting and plating.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 490 calories, 4g protein, 116g carbs, 1g fat.

The listed fruit and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while the foie gras would supply much of the fat and protein. Its quantity is not provided, so these estimates cannot account for it; serve with bitter leaves or another simple vegetable to balance the rich dish.

The plum compote

Fruit and aromatics: the compote combines chopped plums and grated apple with onion, ginger and chilli. Orange juice and red wine vinegar add liquid and a sweet-sharp balance.

Cook to texture: the recipe gives no cooking time, so use the stated chutney-like consistency as your cue. Stir as needed to prevent sticking, especially as the mixture thickens.

Making the plum gel

Sous-vide plums: halve the plums but leave the stones in, then cook them with sugar and lime juice at 90°C for 60 minutes. Passing the cooked mixture collects the juice for the gel.

Agar-agar: add it with the plum wine and cook for 2 minutes, as directed. Chill until solid before blitzing and passing the gel to make a smooth purée for a squeeze bottle.

Roasting and resting

Foie gras: the method says to roast it and leave it to rest, but does not specify the cut, oven temperature, cooking time or doneness cue. Follow the guidance for the cut you have, and avoid relying on a time that the recipe does not provide.

Resting: allow the roasted foie gras to rest before plating, as the method instructs. This also gives you time to arrange the compote and gel.

Plating the components

Compote first: place a spoonful on each plate, then add dots of gel. The recipe does not specify serving quantities, so divide the preparations to suit the four portions.

Finish: set the rested foie gras on the compote and garnish with slices of pickled plum. The supplied ingredient list does not give a separate quantity or preparation for those garnish slices.

What to serve alongside

Serve the plated foie gras as a small, rich course, with the plum preparations providing most of the sweet and acidic contrast. A lightly dressed bitter-leaf salad or plain bread can round out the plate without competing with the fruit.

Keep additional sauces restrained: the recipe already includes a vinegar-based compote and a citrus-bright gel.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cook the compote until it is thick and chutney-like rather than relying on an unspecified cooking time.
• Keep the plum stones in during the sous-vide stage, as the method directs.
• Measure the agar-agar carefully so the gel can set before you blend it.
• Chill the gel until completely solid before blitzing and passing it.
• Prepare the compote and gel ahead, then roast and rest the foie gras close to serving.
• Use the compote and gel sparingly at first, then add more to taste.

Variations

• Adjust the chilli: use less for a gentler compote or more for extra heat.
• Sharper compote: add a little more red wine vinegar to the finished mixture to taste.
• Citrus lift: add finely grated lime zest to the gel mixture before cooking.
• Herb garnish: finish the plate with a few small leaves that complement the fruit.
• Serve with bread: add thin slices of toasted bread for a more substantial course.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Compote too thin: continue cooking until it reaches the recipe's chutney-like consistency.
• Compote catching: stir more often as it thickens and lower the heat if it begins to stick.
• Gel not set: chill it fully before blending rather than putting it straight into the bottle.
• Lumpy gel: blitz the set gel thoroughly and pass the purée before filling the bottle.
• Foie gras served straight away: allow it to rest after roasting, as the method specifies.
• Unbalanced plating: keep the rich foie gras in proportion to the sharp compote and gel.

How to store

Refrigerate the compote and gel in separate covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the compote gently; keep the gel chilled. Roast foie gras is best served freshly cooked, and the recipe does not give specific storage guidance for it.

Frequently asked questions