When it comes to classic French fine dining, a dish containing some form of foie gras is never far away. And yet few ingredients are likely to cause more controversy. Its means of production, by gavage (young ducks are force fed using a pipe or funnel to engorge the liver) horrifies many and numerous animal rights groups have called for it to be banned. But foie gras is firmly ingrained in the history of cooking (the practice is thought to have begun some 5,000 years ago in Egypt) and this luxury ingredient is loved by gastronomes all over the world.
Many people who eat foie gras acknowledge that it isn't an ethically sound ingredient, yet they have long been seduced by its taste. For foie gras has a unique, decadent flavour and texture; somewhere between liquid and solid, rich and buttery, with a velvety smooth finish. For those who can't resist, it is perhaps best justified as an occasional indulgence.
The three Michelin-starred chef Bruno Menard seems to agree. He conducted a masterclass dedicated to the ingredient on Wednesday morning and served up a foie gras-themed dinner the following evening (featuring dishes such as foie gras flan with Tonka nut).
Menard is known for his neo-French style; he likes cooking with fresh, seasonal Japanese produce, but will prepare them using methods inspired by classic French techniques. He also champions the "cuisine du terroir": the idea that food grown in a certain region is imparted with a unique flavour, due to the climate, soil, weather and growing conditions.
Interestingly, he said that these days he is happy to use frozen foie gras in his restaurant. "The decision to start flash-freezing foie gras, 10 or so years ago, was a revolution in the business. Doing this seals in the flavour, preserves the texture and helps to slow down the process of oxidisation. It is now possible to get hold of really outstanding frozen produce." All of which is good news for foie gras fans living miles from France.
Because of the richness of the ingredient, when serving foie gras Menard stressed that it was important to balance the flavours in the dish. "You need harmony; a little sweetness, slight acidity, a bitter edge and, of course, saltiness." Menard also said the recipes he provided were intended "as a base only. Feel free to do things your way; use your imagination, use your heart. That is what cooking is all about".
For those that feel they need a little more guidance than that, his recipe for smoked foie gras custard with sorrel espuma is below, and would make an impressive dinner party starter.
Smoked foie gras custard with sorrel espuma
Serves 4
For the foie gras:
4 x 100g pieces foie gras 150ml chicken stock 20g cream 40g milk 1 egg
For the sorrel espuma:
300g sorrel (rocket could be used as an alternative) 350ml chicken stock 320ml cream 2 tsp egg white powder (optional) salt and pepper wood chips
Place the foie gras on a cooling rack or tray with perforated holes. Scatter the wood chips over the base of a deep roasting dish. Carefully set fire to the chips, leave the flames to die out and create smoke. Quickly place the rack with the foie gras on top of the roasting tray, top with a lid or wrap tightly with foil and leave for 15 minutes. For an intensely smoky flavour, repeat this process again.
Warm the chicken stock. Place the foie gras in a blender, add a ladleful of stock and blend. Pour in the rest of the stock, followed by the cream, milk and egg, blending well. Season with salt and pepper and pass the mixture through a fine sieve - it will have a thin liquid consistency.
Pour into four small containers, such as espresso cups. Cover tightly with cling film and steam for 15 minutes. You can do this in a steamer oven set at 85¿C or on the hob in a steamer basket. When the foie gras is ready, it should have the consistency of creme brûlée - set with a slight wobble. The custards can be cooked ahead of time and served at room temperature.
To prepare the sorrel espuma, place the sorrel leaves in a blender with the cold chicken stock. Blend well and pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. If you have an espuma gun, stir in the cream and egg white powder (if using) and transfer to the gun canister. Charge with one gas cartridge and top each custard with the sorrel mousse just before serving. In the absence of an espuma gun, whip the cream to soft peaks, before folding into the sorrel liquid. When you are ready to serve, froth up the mixture using a hand blender before spooning a small amount over each custard.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Maestro
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The biog
Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
