Chicken Liver Mousse with Caramelized Onions
Chicken Liver Mousse with Caramelized Onions
YIELD: 12 APPETIZER PORTIONS
Ingredients
2 tablespoons/30 grams kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 cups/480 milliliters water
1 pound/450 grams chicken livers, veins and connective tissue removed
1/4 cup/60 grams butter plus 1 1/2 cups/340 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
12 ounces/340 grams thinly sliced sweet onions
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup/120 milliliters brandy
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1. In a bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Add the livers, transfer to the refrigerator, and soak for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until the onions are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid cooks off and the onions turn golden brown. Deglaze the pan with half of the brandy and continue to cook until the pan is dry. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Chop the onions fine and fold in the parsley. The mixture should look spreadable.
3. Remove the livers from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over high heat and sear the livers for about a minute per side. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the livers are firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze with the remaining brandy, cook to reduce the juices, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
4. Puree the livers in a food processor until smooth. Add the 1 ½ cups/340 grams soft butter in three stages, scraping down the sides each time, and process until the butter has been incorporated. Pass the liver mixture through a tamis or fine-mesh sieve.
5. Fill a 1-quart/1-liter soufflé dish with the mousse, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Spread the firm top with the onion mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before serving to allow the mixture to soften.
Shopping List / mise en place
ITEM
QTY
UNIT
BUY or NOT
QTY MISE EN PLACE
Kosher salt
2
TBSp
TBSp/30 g
Water
2 cups/480 ml
Chicken livers
1
Lb
1 Lb Cleaned
Butter
60
grams
60 gr/ ¼ Cup for sauteing onions
Butter
340
grams
340g 1 ½ cup in thirds room temp
Sweet onions
12
oz
340 g thinly sliced
Black pepper
To taste
Brandy
1/2
cup
120 ml /½ cup
Flat leaf parsley
2
TBSp
2 TBSP finely chopped
Vegetable oil
2
TBSp
2 TBSP