A Different Kind of Leftovers

Prior to starting work at the restaurant I had never tried foie gras, simply for lack of opportunity but in the past week I’ve had it a few times, all as a result of playing around with leftovers. Leftovers have an entirely different meaning when they’re coming from a New Years Eve menu that included items like foie gras and wild boar. While looking through the fridges I found some leftover foie and asked Chef for other ways that it could be served, (on the New Years menu it topped a piece of beef tenderloin) and he responded by cooking up some samples. Pictured is a herbed French toast topped with pan seared foie gras, a port and fig compote, (also from the New Years Eve menu, it was served as part of the dessert course with a chocolate bombe) and micro greens. It was a fun appetizer that was prepared in a matter of minutes.

Not pictured is foie gras with wild boar in a mushroom and leek cream sauce. Chef made it for me during dinner service one night between orders and as I whisked it off the pass to try, (and share), Chef told me not to take any pictures of it. He said he was just playing around and it wasn’t worthy of being photographed. My first instinct was to ignore him and take the picture anyways but then I thought about it and changed my mind. But only because a similar scenario plays out quite often at my house when I’ve made something for dinner or a snack and before she starts to eat hers, Mom will ask if I’ve taken a picture. There are many times that I don’t take pictures of what I’ve made because I don’t like how it looks or it didn’t turn out how I had envisioned it but Mom will insist that a photo should be taken and I’ll tell her it’s not worth it. So I let Chef get away with not having that particular dish photographed but I assure you I’m not usually so lenient. In the past I’ve also seen Chef make a foie gras and brie foam in case you’re looking for unusual things to do with foie.