Inspired by my two walkabouts in France this year, and a homage to the versatility of chicken liver, which as it happens is quite easily accessible for the Indian palate …
… and so without much further ado, onto the recipes and techniques I go, which begin with the base chicken liver pate:
- 500g chicken livers
- 125g ordinary amuul butter
- 1 large onion, or 3 small shallots finely chopped
- 125g button mushrooms
- 125g bacon finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs
- 90ml port
- 15ml brandy
Below are images of the main ingredients; i like to use the liver from online store licious, the beechwood smoked bacon from Le carne, dried thyme from Brand Keya, and nice white button mushrooms… needless to say please use proper imported port and brandy; they do not need to be top quality at all.
Photo credit: Stock Images/Internet
Finely chop your onion, bacon and mushrooms (STEP 1), melt the butter in a pan over low heat (STEP 2), first saute your onions till translucent (STEP 3), then add the chicken livers and saute till cooked through (STEPS 4 & 5). Remove the mixture (STEP 6) and in the same pan add the bacon and saute (STEP 7), then the mushrooms and mixed herbs (STEP 8), and once cooked out and dry, add the port and brandy and reduce (STEP 9). Then return the livers to the pan, saute briefly to combine (STEPS 10 & 11), then take off the heat (STEP 12), let the mixture cool and then place in a food processor and blend till perfectly smooth (STEPS 13 & 14).
Once that is done, weigh the pate and divide it in half; to one half blend in ¼ cup of Amul cream (I forgot to photograph this), and then layer into a small terrine tin lined with cling film as show below (STEPS 15 & 16), cover tightly with cling film and silver foil and refrigerate; it is from this that the warm mousses will be made.
And now onto the parfait, which will be used for both the Savoury millefeuille of Chicken Liver Parfait and the Semi-sweet and savoury Pavlova of Chicken liver parfait; with the rest of the pate mix, the first step is to scrape it through a tammy (aka fine mesh flour sieve – STEPS 1 to 4), then weigh it (STEP 5), and fold in the same amount of imported double cream (STEPS 6 & 7). Then cover with cling film & silver foil and refrigerate until use (STEP 8).
For the next step, please refer to the Modern French Millefeuille recipe, and once your puff pastry rectangles are ready, place the parfait in a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle (STEP 9), and pipe the parfait as shown onto the first sheet (STEPS 10 & 11). Remember to let the parfait soften slightly at room temperature beforehand, to facilitate the piping. Then place another puff pastry sheet on top and repeat (STEPS 12 & 13). Then dot with chopped up rehydrated figs, micro -herbs of choice and voila (STEP 14), you have your moist, elegant and delicious Savoury millefeuille of Chicken Liver Parfait and rehydrated figs (FINAL IMAGE).
Next for the Semi-sweet & Savoury Pavlova of Chicken Liver Parfait and Winter Radish, please refer to the Soft Centred Meringue Slider recipe for the making of the meringue. Then place one meringue on the centre of a prep plate, fir your piping bag with a plain round nozzle and pipe a spiral ring of parfait around the edge (STEPS 1 to 3). Then place some finely sliced red radish tossed in a vinaigrette in the centre (STEPS 4 & 5), dot with microgreens (STEPS 6 & 7), and there you have the beautiful and sinfully mouth-watering finished dish. (FINAL IMAGE)
And at last part 3, the Warm Baked Chicken Liver Mousse, Pulled Duck Confit, for which first and foremost, you will take a prepared duck leg (please refer to the Duck Leg Confit recipe), pull the meat from the bones and heat in butter just before use (STEPS 1 TO 4).
For the mousse, first preheat the oven to 150°C (bottom heating convection setting) with the tray in the middle of oven, and lightly grease 6 dariole moulds/small ramekins (STEP 1); then you will use 200g of the base pate that you set in a terrine mould, to yield 6 mousses, and blend it with 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks and 100ml double cream (STEPS 2 TO 5). Season with salt (STEP 6), and pour into the moulds ¼ full only (STEP 7), cover tightly with cling film (STEP 8), place in baking dish, pour boiling water to half way up the mousses (STEP 9), and bake for 25 to 30 mins. Let cool (STEP 10), unmould, place in container and refrigerate until use (STEP 11).
To serve the Warm Baked Chicken Liver Mousse, Pulled Duck Confit, simply bring the mousses to room temperature, then place them back in their containers and reheat the same way in a preheated oven 150°C for 15 to 20 mins; unmould onto your serving plate (STEP 12), top with the heated pulled duck confit (STEP 13), garnish with micro-herbs, a swirl of balsamic glaze around the plate and abracadabra, dive into this little culinary gem! (FINAL IMAGE)
