Foie Gras with Spiced Lentils Fig and Apple Chutney

Serves 4

I love this dish with a piece of pan-seared salmon .

Ingredients

• 200g foie gras, cut into 4 slices

Spiced Lentils:

• 100g Puy Lentils

• pinch ground cumin

• 40g red onion, finely chopped

• 25ml balsamic vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 20g pickled ginger, finely chopped

• 25ml soy sauce

• 1 tablespn tomato ketchup

• 2 tablespn sweet chilli sauce

• 3 tablespn olive oil

• 1 tsp chopped coriander

• squeeze lemon juice

Fig and Apple Chutney:

• 1 cooking apple, peeled and diced

• 20g onion, diced

• 50g dried fig, chopped

• 25ml white wine vinegar

• 1/3 tsp English mustard

• pinch cayenne pepper

• ½ clove garlic

• 50g sultanas

• 2tsp sugar

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients for the chutney in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours until thick. Add a splash of water if the mixture dries out before the two hours. Leave to cool, then liquidize the mixture until it is the consistency of jam. Add the sugar and chill.

2. Soak the lentils overnight in a bowl of water. Next day, cook the lentils in a pan of fresh boiling salted water for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and leave to cool.

3. Warm the cumin in a dry saucepan to release the flavour. When fragrant add the onions, vinegar and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients, plus the cooked lentils and stir well. Adjust the seasoning to taste with the lemon juice.

5. Bring the chutney to room temperature.

6. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Season the foie gras with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides

7. Serve on top of the lentils with a quenelle of chutney.