Ingredients

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) pumpkin, top, seeds, and membranes carefully removed
• 1 (1 1/2 pound) whole, Grade A foie gras, at room temperature, cleaned and deveined
• Course salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 1 cup Banyuls or tawny Port
• Serving suggestion: hot crusty bread

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Cover a baking sheet with wrinkled aluminum foil so the pumpkin will rest securely flat on it. Place the pumpkin on the foil.
3. Season foie gras with salt and pepper. Pour wine into pumpkin shell and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place foie gras in pumpkin, the large lobe underneath the smaller lobe. Cover with the pumpkin top, and wrap pumpkin securely in aluminum foil. Bake until the internal temperature of the liver reaches 120 degrees F, about 2 hours. Remove pumpkin from oven, discard foil, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove pumpkin from refrigerator 30 minutes before severing. Serve at table, using a hot spoon to scoop out foie gras.
5. Serve with slices of crusty French bread.