Pumpkin Spice Foie Gras

Yield Serves 4
RECIPE Ingredients

For the Milk Jellies

  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup half & half
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • ¼ cup water

For the Pumpkin Butter

  • 1 can organic plain pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup unsweetened apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • Pinch kosher salt

For the Caramels

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder

For the Foie Gras

Recipe notes
This foie gras recipe is inspired by the pumpkin spice trend with spiced pumpkin butter, salted and coffee caramels, milk jellies, and toasted brioche.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Make the milk jellies: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together milk, half & half, sugar, and vanilla. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and mixture is completely smooth. Set aside. Pour the water into a heatproof bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved and mixture is completely smooth. Add milk mixture, stirring well to combine. Pour into a shallow dish (we used an 8” ceramic casserole). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Make the pumpkin butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and turns chestnut color, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Make the caramels: In a small saucepan stir together sugar and water. Place the pan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Raise heat to high and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until caramel turns dark amber, about 6-7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and carefully stir in heavy cream (the mixture will bubble up quite a bit, be mindful not to burn yourself). Continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Split the mixture into 2 small bowls. Stir espresso powder into one, and pinch of salt into the other. Set caramels aside.
  4. Slice milk jellies into cubes. To 4 serving plates, add a portion of pumpkin butter, a few milk jellies, and a drizzle of each caramel. Toast the brioche and keep warm.
  5. Prepare the foie gras: Heat a dry skillet over high flame. Using a sharp paring knife, score the foie gras in a crosshatch pattern. Season with salt. When the pan is very hot, add the foie gras and lower the heat to medium-high. Sear until the foie gras slices are dark brown. Turn them over and cook on the other side until fully cooked but still soft to the touch, basting a few times with rendered foie gras fat. Set foie gras slices on a paper towel to drain.
  6. Serve foie gras and warm brioche on the prepared plates. Finish foie gras with flake salt.