I just had to include Julia Child’s chicken liver mousse which I adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Be sure to also try Carolié de Koster’s Chicken Liver Pâté With Bacon & Port from her Art Of Cooking recipe book.
500 g chicken livers
30 ml minced shallots or spring onion
30 g butter
80 ml cognac
60 ml whipping cream
2.5 ml salt
1 ml allspice
1 ml white pepper
1 ml dried thyme
125 g butter, melted
- Remove any greenish or blackish spots from the livers, as well as any sinew. Cut the livers into bite-sized pieces.
- Pat the livers dry, then place in a large mixing bowl and cover with milk. Cover and let sit in a refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a sauté pan until foam has subsided.
- Sauté the livers with the shallots in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until the livers are just stiffened, but still rosy inside. Scrape into the blender jug.
- Pour the cognac into the pan and boil it down rapidly until it has reduced to about 50 ml. Scrape it into the blender jug.
- Add the cream and seasonings to the blender jug, cover and blend at top speed for several seconds until the liver is a smooth paste.
- Add the melted butter and blend several seconds more. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Pack into a jar, seal and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
- Serve with fresh bread.
Makes about 500 ml.
