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A glass jar filled with smooth, brown pâté topped with finely chopped herbs, sitting on a gray countertop. The jar has a metal clasp and an orange rubber seal.

Chicken Liver Mousse

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Rich, silky chicken liver mousse blended with fresh herbs, pancetta, and cold butter for a velvety texture. Finished with lemon and sherry vinegar for brightness. Spread it on toast or crackers.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Appetizer, Meat
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz chicken livers soaked, trimmed, and dried with towel
  • 4-6 oz pancetta diced
  • 1 shallot chopped
  • 1 tsp thyme fresh leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp sage fresh leaves, finely chopped
  • 4-5 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tbsp butter cold
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Kosher salt to taste

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Knife & cutting board
  • Airtight Container
  • Blender
  • Tongs or spatula

Method
 

Sear the Livers
  1. Heat a pan over medium and add oil.
  2. Sear chicken livers on one side until browned, flip, and cook for 1 minute. You'll know it's ready to flip once it releases from the pan. It sticks because the crust is still forming, so don't nudge it around if it's not releasing. The protein will almost always tell you when it's ready.
  3. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté Aromatics
  1. In the same pan, add pancetta and cook until lightly browned.
  2. Deglaze with sherry vinegar, then add shallots, thyme, sage, and garlic. You'll know all of the bits have released when you run your spoon over the bottom of the pan and it feels smooth.
  3. Cook until softened.
Blend
  1. Transfer livers, pancetta, and aromatics to a blender.
  2. Blend on high for 1 minute.
  3. With the blender running, add cold butter a piece at a time until smooth and mousse-like.
  4. Finish with lemon juice and salt to taste.
Store
  1. Transfer mousse to an airtight container and smooth the top.
  2. Cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent oxidation.
  3. Optional: seal with melted fat for long-term storage.

Notes

Storage: cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days; if sealed with a layer of melted fat, it will keep up to a week. Bring to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving for the best texture.

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