Where to Find Your Foie Gras--And Do You Really Need Pink Salt and Duck Fat?

Foie gras is a luxury ingredient, no doubt about that. But we were surprised to find that it can be fairly affordable as far as luxury ingredients go. We bought our fresh foie gras at Gourmand in Culver City for $31 a pound. That means a 11/2-pound foie gras works out to less than $10 a serving for a truly impressive appetizer. (Gourmand, which carries an extensive assortment of fine foods, ostensibly only sells wholesale, but anyone willing to meet the $150 minimum purchase can shop there--be sure to call first.)

The duck fat and the pink salt were different stories, though. The duck fat, which we purchased at Surfas, cost a whopping $62.73--that’s right, more than the foie gras. The pink salt, or sel rose , which we also found at Gourmand, is a preserving salt that contains nitrates to aid in the retention of color in things like dried sausages. It came only in a 4-pound package and cost $27.

The good news is that Thomas Keller says neither the duck fat nor the sel rose are necessary for this recipe. Use canola oil instead of the duck fat and you’ll hardly notice the difference. (Of course, you could also render the fat from three ducks and have another grand dish besides!) Eliminate the sel rose altogether if you want--since the dish will probably be consumed within a day, keeping the color rosy won’t be a concern.

Here are some stores and Internet sites that sell foie gras.

* Gourmand, 3051 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City. (310) 839-9222.

* Surfas, 8825 National Blvd., Culver City. (310) 559-4770.

* Joie de Vivre, https://www.frenchselections.com, (800) 648-8854.

* Hudson Valley Foie Gras, https://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com, (845) 292-2500.