Chicken liver mousse

Given our plethora of chicken livers, it was unavoidable for David not to make a round of his fabulous chicken liver mousse. The first time he made it was a couple years ago, back in Vancouver, for a gathering of folk, and man did it ever go over well! People just devoured it on bread, crackers, or straight from the bowl. The original recipe stemmed from Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck's classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In times past, David hasn't necessarily strictly adhered to the recipe; however, for whatever reason, this time he decided to follow it fairly closely.

Recipe

from Mastering the Art of French Cooking3 oz. chicken livers1/8 cup brandy1/16 cup whipping cream1/8 cup melted buttersaltpepperallspicethymeChop the liver into pieces and sauté with butter until stiffened, but still rosy on the inside. Put into a blender jar. Pour brandy into the pan and boil down until reduced to a few tablespoons and add to blender jar. Add in cream and seasonings, then blend until it's reached the consistency of a smooth paste. Add melted butter and continue blending. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a bowl. Chill in the fridge for at least several hours to set.

Musings

David noted that it was thinner coming out of the blender than normal. Upon sampling it the next day, it did have a different taste. He normally includes onions and garlic, the lack of which would certainly alter the taste. D commented that a stronger Brandy flavour might be good, so he may add more Brandy to boil down next time. Nonetheless, it does make for a great appetizer on crackers or a baguette, or even on bread as a sandwich with a but of mustard and tomato.