can I hold seared foie gras while I serve 1st course?

[NapaFoodie]

I am planning a multi-course dinner w/2nd course of seared foie & foie terrine. Is is possible to sear the foie & hold for 20± minutes during 1st course service, or sear one side, flip & put in low oven to hold? I'm cooking for 10, so it may take me a bit of time & would prefer to have all cooking done ahead.

[tuqueboy]

definitely wouldn't pre-sear. only prep i'd do in advance is portioning it out, then lightly scoring the top and bottom of each piece. then put em back into the fridge. as someone else suggested, just use two pans when you do it so you can get all the portions seared at the same time. it'll take a minute (30 secs on each side)

[NapaFoodie]

I've always scored duck breast, but not foie. Can you explain what purpose the scoring serves, or is it just for looks?

[rabaja]

You don't need to score foie, just slice and season ahead of time. The timing should be judged on looks, not by a clock. The longer you saute it, the more you lose, so just give it a good sear and remove.
It all sounds delicious, btw. Lucky friends you have!

[dano]

score 1 side only for presentaion. do it both ways dpending how i feel.

[NapaFoodie]

thanks everyone! I'm convinced - 1st course will be walk-around champagne & little stacks of avocado, tomato & crab topped with domestic caviar (the foie is breaking the bank!). That way I can start to sear while everyone mingles.....too hard to keep everyone at the table while the kitchen is smoking, anyway. BTW my plan was to serve as one course both the terrine (with tiny squares of chardonnay aspic) along with the seared foie with brioche toasts & fig compote. Sauternes should keep everyone patient.
Now if I could get a different smitane recipe for the pheasant, I'd be set! I really appreciate your input!
N.F.

[SeaSide Tomato]

lovely menu!

[moh]

What is your first course? Ideally, you want something that is ready to serve, something that will take your guests a little time to eat, while you go off and cook the fois. Because everyone here is right, you can't sear it ahead of time and do it justice! I think your guests should be very understanding if you are off searing fois for them!

[Tom Steele]

If your foie terrine is ready, the foie gras can be seared up in a bare skillet in 30-60 seconds, depending on how it's sliced before searing.

[MMRuth]

It doesn't sound like the OP is talking about a terrine, though.

[Candy]

MM, Op was talking about both the terrine which would be ready to go and then the fresh foie, and no way I'd sear that and expect it to wait for me any more than I would take a souffle out of the oven and expect it to be perfect 20 mins. later, it just cannot be done with any success. It would be a warm and cool treat on one plate

Napa Foodie, you might start your skillets to heat gently and have the foie sliced and ready to go so while the first course plates are being cleared you can zip into the kitchen and sear and plate your second course. It sounds lovey.

[dano]

no, a la minute only. Get a couple of saute pans going and enlist a helping hand.

[Miss Needle]

NO!!!! Foie gras is so pricey and precious that it would be a sin to sear it and hold it. I've tried it before and it just wasn't the same. And if your oven is too hot, your foie may shrink to nothing.

Can I be invited to your dinner party? : )

[Dmnkly]

I've never tried holding seared foie, but my gut tells me you won't be happy with the results.

But please, ignore my completely uninformed opinion in favor of somebody with actual experience on the matter :-)