Posted by Rod Weatherbie in ingredients, meat and poultry, politics on February 15, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Just before the holidays a group of activists staged a protest outside of Pusateri’s. What was it they were protesting? Child labour? Underpaid employees? Unsafe foods from China?

No, they were protesting the sale of foie gras.

Foie gras gets a bad rap in the press. It’s an easy target. And because it’s an easy target some anti-animal-agriculture groups use it as a wedge issue in their campaigns against meat eating in general.

Some of the most vocal carnivores often draw the line at foie gras (The super-fatty liver of ducks or geese) for its perceived cruelty. Gavage (a fancy word for “force feeding”) is an unsightly process, but most of the meat we eat, even the green, organic free range stuff is the product of unsightly processes.

So what’s an omnivore to do?

Well, Anthony Bourdain would tells us to get over our ethical dilemma and eat foie. In Toronto we don’t have a temple to foie gras like they do in Montreal, where those so inclined can belly up to the counter of au Pied de Cochon and order a big plate of foie gras poutine.

The nearest we have to a shrine to carnis is Cowbell. But due to the nature of the restaurant’s mandate they don’t serve foie.

“I love foie gras, but it goes against what we’re trying to do,” Cowbell chef Mark Cutrara said. “There are simply no local producers.”

Cutrara says he has no ethical issues with foie. It’s a versatile ingredient and most foie in Canada is organic. Not only that, almost the entire duck is used, so it’s not being raised just for its liver.

Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar does serve it on occasion but only by request. Chef Tobey Nemeth said it sits in an ethical grey area for a lot of dinners but for the restaurant it’s a price-point question. “We try to keep the prices on our menu really accessible and friendly,” she said.

The restaurant also has a local mandate when it comes to meat. “If there was a local producer you can rest assured it would be on the menu in a hurry.”

For those interested in trying foie and aren’t afraid of the kitchen, it can be bought locally. Pusateri’s and Cumbrae’s carry it and it may be found on occasion (and depending on the neighbourhood) at Loblaws, Dominon and Sobeys.

Caviar Direct at the St. Lawrence Market does a brisk foie business. The folks there said they sell a lobe a week on average. More at Christmas. But it’s not cheap, even if a high end chef isn’t preparing it. One whole liver at Caviar Direct can cost more than $75. But smaller slices can be had at more reasonable prices. Their foie is all produced by Quebec’s Aux Champs d’Elise farm the largest producer in North America.

For the foie gras novice the easiest way to prepare foie is to pan sear it. Season a couple of slices with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over high heat (HIGH HEAT. Wrap a plastic bag over the smoke alarm just to be safe, but remember to remove it afterwards) and sear the slices for about 40 seconds each side. It’s impossible to cook this stuff too rare. Too long in the pan and it will just melt away. Serve it with apple sauce and a port wine.

And try not to feel too guilty.