Saturday, July 20, 2013

Mousse de Foies de Volaille or Chicken Liver Mousse


by Peg Cochran


This is a very elegant hors d’oeuvres that is easy to make and very inexpensive—the chicken livers were $1.05!  It’s impressive and so delicious, it will be gone in a flash.  We took a bowl to a friend’s for a weekend at her lake house and sat outside eating it on crackers and drinking a nice, light white wine.  The recipe is compliments of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

1 lb. or about 2 cups chicken livers
2 TB shallots or minced green onions 
2 TB butter

Cut chicken livers into small pieces and mince shallots or green onions.  Saute in the butter until stiff but still rosy inside.

1/3 cup Madeira or cognac (I used inexpensive brandy)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp allspice
1/8 tsp pepper
pinch of thyme
½ cup melted butter

Put livers and shallots in a blender or food processor.  To the same pan, add the liquor and boil down rapidly until you have about 3 TB left. 

Add to blender along with livers and shallots.  Blend until you have a smooth paste.  Add melted butter and blend until incorporated.

The directions call for forcing the mixture through a sieve…I must confess to skipping that step and it was still delicious!

Chill until firm and cold.  Serve on French bread rounds or plain crackers.


Nicely blended

Out Now! 
Out Now!
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8 comments:

  1. Peg/Meg - Thank you so much for sharing this. Years ago, one of my editorial jobs put me in a Manhattan office near Les Halles (this was the Park Ave. location, waaaay before Tony Bourdain, exec. chef at the time, became Mr. TV Personality). I didn't have the budget to eat there often, so here's what I did: The restaurant ran a little counter near the front door where they sold French-style pate and cheeses (not sure if they still do this, must investigate). Anyway, I would purchase a big fat slice of the country pate and take it home to my little apartment, which I shared with three other young women, and we'd break out the crackers and cheap cold wine. I'm betting your recipe today will be just as good, if not better, and I plan to make it soon. Thanks again for sharing and have a great weekend.

    ~ Cleo (crossing fingers the power stays on in this crazy heat wave!)

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  2. Hmmmm, Peg/Meg, I'm not a fan of liver in any form, but this I would try. I'd definitely have the glass of wine with you women! xo

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  3. I've never had Chicken liver before, but your recipe sounds interesting! Love your books!

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  4. Peg, I remember not ever wanting to try this, and then I did - someone called it paté, and voilà, I loved it.

    Pretty picture, too. Love the knife.

    Daryl / Avery

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  5. Cleo, that sounds like such fun! And Lucy, I'm not a big liver fan, but I love this stuff. Melissa, so glad you enjoy my books. You might like this version of (ugh) liver. Daryl, glad you like the picture. My daughter took it with her iPhone. Have just about convinced hubby to buy me one for my birthday! Yeah!

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  6. I confess that I love pate. And in spite of being rich, it's surprisingly good for us because it's loaded with iron. My big problem is finding nice chicken liver. Seems like I always end up throwing out half the container. I'm so glad you shared this. I'll have to try it!

    ~Krista

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  7. Great recipe, Peg! I look forward to tasting it.

    Thank you!

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  8. MJ--You'll love it. It's delicious and easy. Krista, the only chicken livers I could get were frozen and then only from one of the grocery stores around here. Back in NJ they were all over. Another cultural difference I guess!

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