You’ve got to cut foie gras to the right thickness if you’re going to sauté it. This is paramount. Many chefs train their staff to cut foie gras too thin, saying, “Be careful, foie gras is really expensive.” But you need the proper thickness—three quarters of an inch to 1 inch—for the three textures you want in perfectly sautéed foie gras: a crisp exterior, an almost-molten interior, and a very slim center that is firm because it’s still rare.
Sautéed foie gras serves as a primary garnish in many of our dishes. It goes beautifully with squab—that’s a classic pairing. But we also do a roasted lobster with the squab spice, and the foie goes amazingly well with that lobster. Monkfish, another sturdy fish that roasts beautifully, is delicious with foie gras.