Chicken Liver Mousse
One of our favourite classic mousses, I must have made tons of it by now bearing in mind that I started making this particular one in the 1970s at the Whitewell Hotel.
One of our favourite classic mousses, I must have made tons of it by now bearing in mind that I started making this particular one in the 1970s at the Whitewell Hotel.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 pound butter
- 3/4 pound chicken livers
- 1 pinch sea salt or to taste
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1/4 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup shallots thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cognac
- Carbohydrate 3.16893825701136 g
- Cholesterol 274.00687929072 mg
- Fat 33.3587510615284 g
- Fiber 0.291254166086515 g
- Protein 10.783647182661 g
- Saturated Fat 20.2008640193288 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (130g)
- Sodium 1034.61799647576 mg
- Sugar 2.87768409092485 g
- Trans Fat 2.58181693017538 g
- Calories 355 calories
Step-by-step
- Pick over the livers to remove and discard tough connecting tissue or blemished portions.
- Put the liver in a bowl and add salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne.
- Heat the chicken fat (butter) in heavy frying pan/skillet over a medium heat; add the shallots and mushrooms cook stirring, until the mushrooms give up their liquid. Cook until most of this liquid evaporates.
- Add the livers and seasonings, cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes pour and scrape the mixture into a food processor or blender, add the cognac and blend to a fine puree.
- Spoon and scrape the mixture into a small serving dish smooth the top.
- Serve slightly cooler than room temperature.
Unlike a coarse country terrine that relies on visible chunks of meat and rustic fat pockets, this mousse depends entirely on absolute uniformity. Achieving a velvety spreadable consistency starts at the stove. Sautéing the shallots and mushrooms until their moisture completely evaporates prevents excess water from breaking the dairy emulsion later. When cooking the chicken livers for ten minutes, watch for them to firm up slightly while retaining a hint of pink inside to avoid a chalky mouthfeel.
The Mechanics of Smoothness
Pureeing the warm mixture in a food processor immediately incorporates the melted butter, creating a stable suspension before it cools. Adding the cognac right before blending helps thin the dense proteins just enough for the blades to shear them into a micro-puree. For larger gatherings, doubling the quantities works successfully without altering the texture, provided the pan remains large enough to evaporate the mushroom liquid efficiently.Serving and Holding
Serve this dish slightly cooler than room temperature so the butter solidifies just enough to hold a smooth knife stroke. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days, pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent oxidation.
