Skillet Gratin of Crawfish Tails, Pearl Onions, Green Beans, and Foie Gras
Elegant, delicious, and just a bit informal, these individual skillets of crawfish gratin are topped with slices of foie gras. Try them without the foie gras for a casual at-home dinner as well.
Ingredients
- Red Bell Pepper - 1/2, roasted, peeled, seeded, and deribbed
- Bacon - 1/4 cup, diced
- French Green Beans - 1 cup, cleaned and blanched
- Pearl Onions - 1 cup, peeled and blanched
- Shallots - 2 small, minced
- Button mushrooms - 1/2 cup, cleaned and quartered
- Cloves Garlic - 2, minced
- Crawfish Tails - 1-1/2 cups, cleaned (alt. shrimp)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Dry white wine - 1/2 cup
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 cup
- Adobo Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Bread Crumbs - 1/4 cup
- Foie gras - Four, 2-1/2 ounce, slices
- Chervil Sprigs - 12 small
Instructions
Cut the red pepper pieces into 1/2-inch to 1-inch chunks. In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, render the bacon, then add the green beans, pearl onions, shallots, and mushrooms. Saute until the vegetables are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and crawfish tails and saute for about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid is reduced in half by volume. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the cream and adobo sauce and cook again until reduced in half by volume. Adjust the seasoning again. Divide into four individual skillets or ovenproof bowls and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top.
Preheat the broiler to high. Season the foie gras with salt and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over high heat and sear the foie gras for 10 seconds on one side; turn and sear for another 5 seconds. Work with only one or two pieces at a time so you can work quickly with each piece. Place a foie gras slice, dark side up, on top of each skillet. Broil until lightly browned; do not leave too long or the foie gras will literally melt.
To serve: Fold four heavy dinner napkins and place one on each of four serving plates. Place a skillet on each folded napkin. Garnish with chervil sprigs.
