Hi Renee - what a fabulous gift you've received! I, too, have never tasted real foie gras, but I looked through some old cookbooks when I saw your post. It appears that most of the old classic recipes pair foie gras with truffles (which most of us don't have lying around the house!).

Dean and Deluca's website has 3 recipes available (follow the menu as if you are going to order it - they are listed on the order page):
www.dean-deluca.com

In one of Patricia Wells' cookbooks, she describes how to clean it up for cooking - the short version is to scrape off any red or greenish spots, remove any membranes and bits of vein you find (separate the lobes, if they are attached).

Here is a recipe that I found on one of my surfing sites that sounds very special and will show off your foie gras, but also seems like a reasonable recipe for the home cook.

I hope you enjoy your special treat!

La Salade Souleiado
from Country Living magazine
A specialty of the restaurant Chez Aurore in the town of Maussanne, this salad is rich and filling enough to be a meal in itself.

Serves: 4

3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound slender green beans (haricots verts)
4 baby (2 to 3 ounces each) artichokes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh foie gras
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium-size heads Belgian endive, separated into leaves
1 small head radicchio, separated into leaves
3 cups mixed salad greens
Basil sprigs (optional)
Additional extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Aged red- or white-wine vinegar (optional)
1. In 3-quart nonaluminum saucepan, heat water and salt to boiling over high heat. Meanwhile, remove and discard stem ends from beans. Add beans to boiling water; return to boiling and cook beans until just tender -- about 5 minutes.2. Meanwhile, trim artichokes: Snap off and discard tough outer green leaves, stopping at the point where the leaves are half green and half yellow. Cut each stem even with base; cut 1/2 inch off each top. Cut artichokes lengthwise in half. Cut out any interior leaves that are purple or pink. 3. With tongs, remove beans to colander; set aside to cool. Add artichokes and lemon juice to same water in which beans were cooked. Heat to boiling over high heat; cook artichokes until fork-tender -- about 10 minutes. Drain artichokes well; set aside to cool.4. With very sharp knife, thinly slice foie gras crosswise. In large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add foie gras slices and cook, turning once, until browned on outside and just cooked on inside -- about 4 minutes in all. 5. To serve, arrange endive leaves, spoke-fashion, on 4 salad plates; divide radicchio and mixed greens among plates. Cut each artichoke half into 4 wedges; divide artichoke wedges and green beans among salads. Top salads with warm foie gras and basil sprigs, if desired, and serve immediately. Pass additional oil and the vinegar to drizzle over salad, if desired.