Mike Bagale’s Foie Gras Olives

Ingredients
For the foie custard:

• 1000g foie gras (veins removed)
• 415g heavy cream
• 14g iota carrogeenan
• 3g xanthan gum
• 12g salt
• 9g sugar

For the black olive dip:

• 180 dehydrated black olives
• 1250g water
• 140g balsamic vinegar
• 14g agar
• 3.2g locust bean

For the green olive dip:

• 180 dehydrated green olives
• 1250g water
• 140g champagne vinegar
• chlorophyll for colour
• 14g agar
• 3.2g locust bean

Method

For foie custard:

1. Blend iota, salt, xanthan and cream with immersion blender.
2. Constantly stir the cream mixture over medium heat until the mixture reaches 80°C, then take it off the heat.
3. Add the foie gras to the cream mixture while it is off the heat, blending smooth with the immersion blender.
4. While the mix is very hot, use a syringe to extract the foie cream, and insert into olive-shaped silicon molds.
5. Once the molds are filled, slide into the freezer to harden.

For the black olive dip:

1. Blend the dehydrated black olives, water and balsamic vinegar on high in a vitaprep until the mixture is smooth.
2. Pass the mixture through a small chinois and allow it to chill.
3. Once the mixture has chilled, measure out 1000g of black olive mixture, and add the agar and locust bean.
4. Blend this in a blender until smooth.
5. Boil the mixture and then pass it through a chinois
6. Hold in a hot water bath until ready to use.

For the green olive dip:

1. Blend the dehydrated green olives, water, chlorophyll and champagne vinegar on high in a vitaprep until the mixture is smooth.
2. Pass the mixture through a small chinois and allow it to chill.
3. Once the mixture has chilled, measure out 1000g of green olive mixture, and add the agar and locust bean.
4. Blend this in a blender until smooth.
5. Boil the mixture and then pass it through a chinois
6. Hold in a hot water bath until ready to use.

Plating 

To finish the foie gras olives:

1. Once the foie gras custard olives have hardened in the freezer, carefully remove them from the moulds.
2. Using a fine pin or needle, carefully puncture a foie olive and gently dip it into either the hot green or black olive mix to form a paper-thin skin around the foie olive.
3. Remove the pin and carefully place the “olive” in olive oil to temper.
4. Allow the “olive” to come up to room temperature before serving.
5. Repeat this process, alternating between the green and black olive mixture until you have finished all the foie gras olives from the moulds.

Recipe courtesy of Mike Bagale.

Mike Bagale Chef Feature