Instructions: Heat oven to 200 degrees. Clean and devein foie gras. Season liver generously all over with salt and pepper. Place the large lobe smooth-side down in a rectangular or oval 14-ounce porcelain terrine mold. Pour a little of the Sauternes over it. Add the small broken pieces of liver, a little more Sauternes, and finally the smaller lobe, smooth-side up, and the rest of the wine. Cover the terrine with its lid or, since cooking at such a low temperature, use microwavable plastic.

Put a folded kitchen towel or six paper towels layered together in the bottom of a pan large enough to hold the terrine, and set the terrine on top. Fill the pan halfway up the sides of the terrine with hot, not boiling water, transfer to oven, and cook until internal temperature measures 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour, depending on the thickness of the terrine or mold.

Remove terrine from water bath, and place in a deep dish. Invert lid to exert a light pressure on liver; this will force rendered fat to the surface. If the terrine does not have a lid, or the lid has a handle, cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the mold and wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap. Place inverted lid (or cardboard) on liver, and weigh it down with a full bottle of Armagnac (or two 1-pound cans from your pantry) for 20 minutes at room temperature. Then, remove the weights and cover the terrine with the fat that was forced out.

When foie gras is entirely covered by its fat, wrap terrine tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving. To serve, unmold by dipping terrine briefly in hot water and, using a hot knife, cut into serving slices. Serve with toasted bread.

Comments: There are several grades of foie gras. Grade A livers are considered the most perfect. They weigh more than other grades, and are less grainy when cooked. For a terrine like this one, grade A livers are a must. Grade B livers have more bruising and more veins than grade As, and are smaller; they are fine for making mousse and for adding flavor to other recipes such as stuffing. Grade C are the least desirable; in fact, grade C foie gras is not readily available because there is not a great demand for it.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.