Make it at home....Crasto seared foie gras & pear with port reduction

Appetiser - Serves 6

- 1 lobe fresh foie gras,
- about 18 to 21 oz (500 to
600 g)
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper from the mill

Pears with port
- 3 fine pears
- 1 tsp superfine sugar
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) red port

Port reduction
- 2 cups (500 ml) port
- 1 tsp superfine sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 6 Sarawak black
peppercorns

Pears with port
Peel the pears with a knife, then cut in two. Pour the port into a saucepan, add the sugar, and then the pears. Cook covered over moderate heat for 5 minutes. To concentrate the aromas, reduce the port until it forms a syrup. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.

Port reduction
In a small pan, mix together all the ingredients and reduce until the liquid has a syrupy consistency.

Preparing and cooking the foie gras
Choose a nice rounded foie, shiny and firm, without any blemishes. Dip the blade of a knife in warm water and cut slices ¾ in (2 cm) thick. Heat a skillet 11 in (28 cm) in diameter until very hot without adding any fat. Put the slices of foie gras in the frying pan and turn the heat down: 3 minutes will be enough to cook the foie gras on both sides. If necessary, turn them over several times so that they are cooked and pleasantly colored. Prick the foie gras with the point of a knife to the centre: the knife must come out warm but not burning hot (in that case the foie gras would be overcooked). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, then season with coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately with the syrupy pears and the port reduction.

Quinta Do Crasto, Late Bottled Vintage Port 2011 available to buy here