1. To soak: Place foie gras in a nonreactive container; cover with milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the milk and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to ease in the preparation.

2. To clean: Separate foie gras into its two lobes. With a paring knife, carefully scrape the thin transparent membrane surrounding the surface of the liver. Extricate the veins, with the bottom side up, by following the vein that starts at the narrow end and runs the length of the liver. Carefully dissect the lobe bilaterally with the tip of a paring knife. Using your fingers or fish tweezers, pull the vein from the lobe. There is another vein that runs parallel about 1/4 inch below the first vein. Remember to remove any feather veins throughout the lobe. The more veins removed, the smoother the finished product. Repeat on other lobe.

3. To season and cure: Combine the salts, sugar and pepper; sprinkle evenly over foie gras. Sandwich the lobes together, putting the posterior and anterior ends together. Roll foie gras tightly in a 2x2-foot sheet of plastic wrap. Twist ends in opposite directions to tighten the cylinder even more. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove cured foie gras from plastic wrap; place at the end of a 2-foot square of cheesecloth. Wrap cloth around cylinder and tuck into itself. Firmly press the edge of a sheet pan against foie gras while pulling the opposite end of cheesecloth. Roll cylinder in cheesecloth. Twist ends in opposite directions to tighten the cylinder even more; tie ends tightly with butcher’s twine.

4. To poach and press: In a saucepan, bring cider to a gentle simmer. Submerge cloth-wrapped foie gras in cider for 90 seconds. Immediately remove and shock in an ice-water bath. Cool for 20 minutes; remove from water and drain in a colander for 5 minutes. Wrap cheesecloth-lined foie gras in a clean dish towel. Using the same method as with the cheesecloth, tie the cylinder with butcher’s twine and hang in the refrigerator overnight. Remove dish towel; unroll and discard cheesecloth. Tightly wrap the torchon in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 1 week, or vacuum-seal and freeze for up to 1 year.

5. To plate: With a hot wet knife, slice the foie gras into 1/2-inch to 1 1/2-inch slices, using an even slicing motion. Use a metal ring to punch out the torchon slices into perfect circles. (By using a ring to cut the torchon into a perfect circle, you are also cutting away the oxidized flesh. This oxidation is more about appearances than flavor.) Serve with your favorite preparation or with toasted bread.