It takes place two to three times a day; a mixture of water and crushed maize imbibed using a tube designed to reflect the bird’s oesophagus called an embuc. The process lasts approximately 10 seconds. It is true that most breeders do massage the animal beforehand to relax it. In most cases the slaughter of the bird is by electrocution, which is the same as for chickens.
Ongoing research and development into the consequences that gavage has on the remaining life of an animal that is being raised for food suggests a respectful and responsible industry. Moreover the strong disapproval that foie gras production attracts points to a general lack of understanding among the dining public of what happens to many animals, particularly mass-produced ones, before they reach our plates.
RECIPE: Higado con Oloroso (serves 6-8 as a tapa)
If the thought of foie is still too much to stomach, this traditionally Spanish recipe is a good introduction to these offally delights.
Ask the butcher to prepare and clean the liver for you.
Cut two thick slices of calf or lamb’s liver (about 300g) into thin strips. You can also use whole chicken livers. Rinse well and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper.
In a frying pan, heat three tablespoons of olive oil and gently fry one finely sliced sweet Spanish onion until soft and golden. Add 50g
of toasted pine nuts, a thinly sliced clove of
garlic and a handful of raisins, and sauté until the raisins are swollen. Remove the mix from the pan and set aside.
Add another splash of olive oil to the pan, get it really hot and flash fry the liver so that it’s nicely seared on one side. Turn the liver over, add the onion mix and 100ml of Oloroso sherry. Sizzle for a minute or two.
Pile a handful of watercress or rocket leaves onto toast, top with the slivers of liver and drizzle over the onions and sherry. Serve at once.
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