butter — This also makes the pie creamy. Butter is also used to top off the pie to keep it from drying out. Sometimes pork fat is used instead.
aromatics — When it comes to liver, you need flavorings to dull the smell of the paintwork. Here I use plenty of shallots and garlic. If you don’t have shallots, use white or yellow onions instead.
oil — You can use either vegetable or canola oil. Frying the shallots and garlic requires a little to bring out their flavor.
cooking wine — I use a Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing), but you can use any cooking wine you have. Cooking wine is another way to tone down the flavor and aroma of the livery. It also provides a small amount of acid to break down the liver when pulsed into a paste.
Spices — To flavor the liver, I use salt, some sugar for balance, Chinese five spices for flavor, and MSG (optional) for that well-rounded umami flavor.
food processor — Once the liver is cooked and seasoned on the stovetop, you’ll need a food processor to process the liver and all the flavors into a paste. In general, Vietnamese foie gras is coarser than the French variety, but that’s up to you. Pulse longer for a smoother texture. Less for a coarser texture.