By Beleaev Family | International Caviar & Gourmet, Head Office London | beleaev.com
French New Year's Eve, called Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre, traditionally features foie gras as a centrepiece. This three-course menu reproduces the format at home for 6 guests. Total prep around 5 hours over two days. Total ingredient cost around £55-65 per head.
Key Takeaways
- Plan 240g foie gras across the menu (40g per guest)
- Course 1: foie gras terrine made 4 days ahead
- Course 2: tournedos Rossini cooked à la minute
- Course 3: Sauternes-poached pears, no foie
- Total prep 90 minutes on December 31
The Menu
Course 1: Foie Gras Terrine on Pain d'Épices with Onion Confit (180g foie)
Course 2: Tournedos Rossini with Madeira Sauce (60g foie)
Course 3: Sauternes-Poached Pears with Vanilla Cream (no foie)
Total foie gras: 240g across the menu (around 40g per guest)
Course 1: Foie Gras Terrine
Made 4 days ahead. Follow our foie gras terrine recipe. One terrine of 500g serves 8-10 portions.
For 6 guests, slice 30g portions per guest (180g total). Serve on toasted slices of pain d'épices with a small spoon of onion confit and a few flakes of Maldon salt.
Course 2: Tournedos Rossini
For 6 portions, scale our Tournedos Rossini recipe:
- 6 fillet steaks, 200g each, 4cm thick
- 6 slices grade A foie gras, 60g each (or smaller if budget tight)
- 6 small toasted brioche croûtons
- 300ml Madeira reduction
- 12-15g fresh black truffle
- 60g unsalted butter
The cooking is à la minute. Plan 12 minutes from first steak hitting pan to plating.
Course 3: Sauternes-Poached Pears
For 6:
- 6 firm Conference pears, peeled, halved, cored
- 500ml Sauternes
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- For cream: 200ml double cream + 30g icing sugar + 1 vanilla pod scraped
Combine Sauternes, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon. Bring to simmer. Add pears. Poach 25 minutes until tender. Cool in syrup.
Whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla seeds.
Serve poached pear halves with a dollop of vanilla cream and a drizzle of reduced poaching liquid.
This dessert deliberately has no foie gras. After 40g per guest in the savoury courses, the palate appreciates a different register.
Production Timeline
Day -4 (Dec 27): Make foie gras terrine. Refrigerate.
Day -1 (Dec 30): Buy steak, foie gras slices, truffle, Madeira, pears, Sauternes.
Day 0 (Dec 31), morning: Poach pears. Refrigerate. Make pain d'épices toasts. Make onion confit.
8:00 PM (drinks): Open champagne, pour. Take terrine out for slicing.
9:00 PM (Course 1): Slice and plate terrine. Serve.
9:30 PM (Course 2): Make Madeira sauce. Sear steaks. Sear foie. Plate Tournedos. Serve.
10:30 PM (Course 3): Plate poached pears. Serve.
11:30 PM: Champagne refills. Photographs. Count down to midnight.
Tips
Make the terrine 4 days ahead. Flavour peaks at 72-96 hours of resting.
Time the steaks carefully. 6 steaks may need 2 batches in the pan. Plan a 12-minute window from first steak in pan to plating.
Sauternes throughout the savoury courses. The dessert wine carries through Courses 1 and 2 perfectly. Switch to coffee or vintage port for Course 3.
Don't try to do dishes during the meal. Pre-fill dishwasher.
Variations and Pairings
Replace Course 3 with chocolate pots: For chocolate fans. Both work as final courses.
Add caviar starter: Add a classic caviar platter before Course 1 with vodka shots. £100-150 extra cost.
Vegetarian alternative: Replace foie gras with mushroom-chestnut pâté. Replace Tournedos with wild mushroom Wellington.
Wine pairing: Sauternes throughout the savoury courses. Champagne at midnight.
For more occasion menus, see our foie gras Christmas menu and New Year's Eve caviar dinner recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much foie for 6 guests?
240g across 3 courses (40g per guest). Less feels stingy on a 3-course foie-led meal.
Can I do this for 4?
Yes. Multiply quantities by 0.67. Cooking times stay the same.
Why French Réveillon?
French New Year's Eve dinner traditionally features foie gras prominently. The format is festive, communal, and properly indulgent.
Vegetarian guests?
Replace foie gras with mushroom-chestnut pâté for Course 1, mushroom Wellington for Course 2. Course 3 (poached pears) is naturally vegetarian.
Further Reading
A French New Year's Eve dinner with foie gras at home is one of those meals that quietly defines a proper celebration. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at Rougié Foie Gras. Browse the full collection at beleaev.com.
Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet house headquartered in London, with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We deliver responsibly farmed Beluga, Oscietra, Sevruga, and Kaluga caviar to customers in each region within 24 to 48 hours.
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