As a chef, I love taking a humble ingredient like chicken livers and creating something exciting. This recipe guides you through how to properly clean the livers and introduce acidity for a more palatable experience. I served chicken liver mousse to thousands of patrons at a fine dining restaurant as little bites with pickles (mustard seeds and white raisins).
Add the chicken livers to a small bowl and cover with water. Soak for 20 minutes to remove impurities.
In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the oil and add the onion with the salt. Sweat for 3 minutes to soften and encourage onion to release juices without browning. Turn off the heat and stir.
Drain the livers and rinse with water, removing any pieces of fat. Add the livers to the skillet with the onions and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring to cook evenly. Season very generously with freshly ground black pepper. Turn off heat and add 1 tsp sherry vinegar.
Transfer livers and juices to a food processor and puree for 1 minute to form a smooth paste. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip or pour into a seal-able container. The mousse needs to chill completely for a luscious texture.
Notes
Vinegar: Sherry is a classic choice, but you could try champagne vinegar or red wine vinegar too.Shallot: A shallot is just a type of onion. You can absolutely substitute the shallot with red onion or white.Serving Suggestions: pipe a small amount onto an olive oil cracker and garnish with some chopped pickle or pickled mustard seeds. Garnish with a small sprig of fresh dill.