As the seasons move on here the garnish changes on dishes according to what is currently fresh & available, with autumn upon us pears which can be seen growing in orchards all the way along our cruising route, are perfect match for the local foie gras.

Here a whole lobe of foie gras has been sealed in a hot dry pan, cooked mi cuit just warm in the middle.

It has been garnished with local pears prepared in a number of different ways, pears poached in local sweet Sauternes wine, a sweet wine from Bordeaux, the poaching liquid is then passed & made into jellies, some of the poached pairs have been puréed to create another texture & finally a pear chutney with ginger & saffron.

In this dish we have used to different varieties of pear, for the poached pear we have used pear William which is fairly soft & sweet & poaches well, for the chutney we have taken a more local variety Passé-Crassane which is not as traditionally pear shaped, firmer texture & a little more acidic which is why it was chosen for the chutney, it carries the other strong flavours in the chutney without being overpowered which the Williams would not be able to do as well.