Seasonal Greens with Cassis Vinaigrette & Foie Gras Croutons
A true treat, foie gras is one of those dishes that you rarely indulge in but when you do, don't feel guilty, just enjoy.
Ingredients
Warm Cassis Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup walnut or hazelnut oil
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup crème de cassis
1 tbsp honey
Sea or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Foie Gras Croutons & Salad:
6 ounces best quality terrine or pate of duck or goose foie gras, slightly chilled
12 rounds French bread, 1/2-inch thick, toasted
12 - 14 cups mixed baby greens
2 semi-ripe red skinned pears, cored and cut into thin slices
1/3 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped
Directions
To make Warm Cassis Vinaigrette:
Heat 1/4 cup of the walnut oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup walnut oil along with the vegetable oil, vinegar, lemon juice, cassis and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Keep the vinaigrette warm over low heat while preparing the salad. (The vinaigrette may also be made in advance and reheated. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.)
To make Foie Gras Croutons:
Spread the foie gras generously over each toast round. Set aside in a cool place until ready to use. When ready to serve the salad, heat 6 salad plates, 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Toss the baby lettuces together with the pears in a large mixing bowl and divide this mixture evenly among the 6 warmed plates. Sprinkle the top of each salad with some chopped hazelnuts.
Heat the cassis vinaigrette over medium-high heat until it begins to sizzle. Immediately spoon about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over each salad. Place two foie gras toasts on the edge of each salad and serve at once.