Foie gras—the fattened liver of ducks or geese—is a French delicacy prized for its rich, buttery flavor. But its production, which involves force-feeding the animals, has led to bans in several countries.

Now, a team of scientists says they’ve developed a more ethical alternative: one that mimics the taste and texture of the dish, minus the controversy.

The results were published Tuesday in the journal Physics of Fluids.