French kisses

[SobaAddict70]

I'm thinking of making French kisses as part of my contribution to the eGullet Yankee pig pickin at curdnerd's farm.

The thing is, I've never worked with foie gras before and wouldn't know how to go about working with it, so any help would be appreciated. How does it come, do I have to prep it in any type of manner before cooking with it, and where besides D'artagnan (sp) is it available? How much, for instance, can I expect to pay for 1 lobe's worth of foie gras?

How much do I need for French kisses? I was thinking of doing a version that uses dates instead of prunes, only because I loathe prunes and think dates would work just as well (unless someone tells me that the combo version of dates/Armangac and foie gras won't work.

Do you stuff the dates before or after soaking?

Help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Soba

[slkinsey]

Foie gras is available at Citarella. Expend to pay $50-$80 for one lobe, depending on size and grade. I would imagine there is no reason not to go with grade B (usually used in terrines, mousses, etc.) for French kisses.

[Jason Perlow]

For the armagnac I would go with Lagrassingle, goes for about 25-30 bucks. Most good liquor stores have it. Its one of the more reasonably priced Armagnacs.

If you cant find it I would use Pierre Ferrand Ambre, which is a very good 30 dollar cognac, and its also commonly avaliable. Its better than Remy Martin VSOP and its about 10 dollars or so cheaper.

[SobaAddict70]

all right, so do I have to prep the foie? Does it come ready to use, or do I have to remove anything, like skin? What cooking will be involved? I imagine that cooking MUST be involved because foie is essentially liver.

For the Armangac/cognac, how much should I use, and how long should the dates/prunes be macerated?

Soba

[Suzanne F]

It's easier than you think: According to D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook, the filling is foie gras mousse, which is good for you because 1. it's a lot less expensive, 2. you don't have to cook anything, just buy it ready-made (check out the retail counter at D'Artagnan on East 46th Street, or maybe even Food Emporium; they carry D'Artagnan products); and 3. all you have to do is soften it and pipe it in. They don't give an actual recipe for the things in the book, but it should be easy enough to wing it. My guess is how long to soak the fruit depends on how dry it is. When it's all nice and plump, drain off the liquid (I'll be happy to take it off your hands ), and use a very thin tip with the pastry bag to pipe in the softened mousse. Et voilà! A little messy, but pretty simple. Of course, the dates have to be pitted before you soak them.

[KNorthrup]

Would figs be closer? Or would they then be too close?

[Suzanne F]

Hmmm. Figs. Are there any figs in season? Fresh, I mean. I suppose you'd just cut an X in them to halfway down, squeeze open, and pipe the mousse into the open space.

I don't think it would work with dried figs -- too compact. But I could be wrong.

In any case, the flavor combination would be fabulous. Come to think of it, we had fig chutney with the "Foie Gras Brulee" at Jean George last year.

[SobaAddict70]

well then I have to get a pastry bag and pipe. why I don't have one on hand is easy: my baking skills suck, not to mention I've never handled a pastry bag in my life.

I suppose you could say I'm the baking version of cabrales.

Soba

[Suzanne F]

Oh no, you want a lesson?

I was going to say something about how you already understand the principle. But right now I don't think I can do it without getting close to obscene.

[SobaAddict70]

oh, I understand it I think.

I've just never done it.

What, obscenity? We've survived worse on this site.

Soba

[KatieLoeb]

It's easier than you think: According to D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook, the filling is foie gras mousse, which is good for you because 1. it's a lot less expensive, 2. you don't have to cook anything, just buy it ready-made (check out the retail counter at D'Artagnan on East 46th Street, or maybe even Food Emporium; they carry D'Artagnan products); and 3. all you have to do is soften it and pipe it in.  They don't give an actual recipe for the things in the book, but it should be easy enough to wing it.  My guess is how long to soak the fruit depends on how dry it is.  When it's all nice and plump, drain off the liquid (I'll be happy to take it off your hands  ), and use a very thin tip with the pastry bag to pipe in the softened mousse.  Et voilà!  A little messy, but pretty simple.  Of course, the dates have to be pitted before you soak them. 

Exactly! This is just what I was talking about when I begged you on groveling hands and knees to make these. Assouline & Ting is the Philadelphia purveyor of all things D'Artagnan and caviar related in Philadelphia. Whenever there is a city wide food event that they attend, there is always a tray of the French Kisses on their table. It is the D'Artagnan foie gras mousse piped into the pitted dates and then soaked in Armagnac. They are incredibly delicious and addictive in a truly decadent sort of way...

I'm certain there is a local purveyor of D'Atagnan products near you, but if not, Assouline has website at Clickety

[Rachel Perlow]

Could you maybe do half prunes, half dates? I vastly prefer prunes to dates. And I think the texture will work better with the foie as well.

[PaulaJK]

Do you pipe the mousse into the prunes and then soak them in armagnac

or you first soak the prunes and then pipe in the mousse?

If you're in NJ, several stores carry D'Artagnan products, including

Kings supermarkets.

[Suzanne F]

Soak.

Drain.

Pipe.

Eat.

Swoon.

In the D'Artagnan book that I mentioned, Ariane Daguin tells a story of preparing French Kisses for a dinner organized by Michel Richard to honor Julia Child on her 80th birthday. Many famous chefs, 500 guests. Very crowded kitchen. She concludes the report with:

I found a little corner to work in the hallway, and started by draining the Armagnac from the soaked prunes into Styrofoam cups, which were the only thing I could find to use.  As Laurent Manrique and I piped the mousse into the drained prunes, the smell of foie gras and Armagnac filled the air.  Daniel Boulud, standing nearby, got a whiff of the Armagnac-prune juice and took a judicious sip from one of the cups.

Just then the late Pierre Franey came ambling down the hall and asked Daniel what he was drinking.  "Coffee," he said with an obvious wink, and offered the cup to Franey.  Without thinking, Franey knocked back the whole cup of fruity Armagnac -- at 10 a.m., a true French Kiss.

Edited July 25, 2003 by Suzanne F (log)

[SobaAddict70]

hm, well if you want Suzanne, I can bring the soaking liquor to the pig pickin'.

Soba

[Suzanne F]

Sure; too bad we're getting rides from two different drivers.