Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe

In a small saucepan combine white wine vinegar, water, sugar, kosher salt, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions, press them down so submerged, and let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Once cool, stir in lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil if using. Refrigerate until needed. For a smoother sauce, drain onions reserving pickling liquid and finely chop the onions, then blend with a tablespoon of pickling liquid until slightly saucy.

Peel (optional) and cut russet potatoes into 1/3–1/2-inch batons. Rinse in cold water until water runs clear to remove starch, then dry thoroughly with kitchen towels.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if finishing in oven, or heat neutral oil in a heavy pot to 325°F (160°C) for the first fry.

If using a two-step fry method: fry potatoes in batches at 325°F (160°C) until tender but not colored, about 4–6 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) (or transfer to a skillet with duck fat and heat).

Add duck fat to a small skillet or add to the hot oil; if finishing in the oven, toss par-fried fries with melted duck fat, spread on a sheet pan and roast at 400°F (200°C) until crisp, about 12–15 minutes, turning once.

For final deep-fry crisping: fry par-cooked fries at 375°F (190°C) until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, season immediately with kosher salt and black pepper.

Prepare livers: trim connective tissue and any greenish bits from chicken livers, then pat dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add chopped shallot and sauté until translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Increase heat to medium-high, add cleaned chicken livers and sear briefly, about 1–2 minutes per side, until browned outside but still slightly pink inside (internal temp ~140–145°F / 60–63°C). Do not overcook or they will be grainy.

Remove skillet from heat and carefully add brandy or cognac. Return to low heat and let the alcohol flambé or simmer a minute to reduce (if flambéing, follow safety precautions).

Transfer livers, shallots and pan juices to a blender or food processor. Add heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. If using gelatin for a firmer texture: bloom gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water for 5 minutes and warm gently until dissolved, then add to blender.

Purée on high until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes. For extra-silky texture, press puréed mousse through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl using a rubber spatula.

Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper. If mixture is warm and a firmer set is desired, pour into serving ramekins or a terrine, cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill 4 hours to overnight until set. Stir in chilled cubed butter if you want a glossier finish before chilling.

Spoon or pipe chilled chicken liver mousse onto a plate or into ramekins. Spoon several tablespoons of pickled onions atop or alongside the mousse (or serve the blended pickled-onion sauce as a small pool beside it).

Arrange duck fat fries alongside the mousse. Garnish with microgreens or parsley and serve toasted baguette slices or crackers for spreading the mousse.

Serve chilled mousse with warm fries for contrast. Leftover mousse will keep refrigerated up to 3 days.