CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE w/GRAPE GELEE

By BobD

Ingredients

• YIELDS 2-8 OZ. TERRINES
• Cooking pureed chicken livers with shallots, cream, and seasonings in a water bath produces a supremely smooth mousse. A layer of clear red-grape gelee provides a sweet contrast to the earthy mousse.
• FOR MOUSSE
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots (2 large)
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 lb chicken livers, trimmed
• FOR GELEE
• 1/2 lb red seedless grapes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3/8 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• EQUIPMENT: 2 (8-oz) ramekins or crocks
• ACCOMPANIMENT: crackers or baguette slices

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

MAKE MOUSSE:
Preheat oven to 300F with rack in middle.

Cook shallots in butter with bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in cream and simmer until shallots are soft, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly.

Puree livers with shallot mixture in a blender until smooth. Force through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup and let cool.

Divide liver mixture among ramekins, then cover each ramekin with foil.

Bake in a water bath until mousse is just set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove foil and transfer ramekins to a rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour, then chill at least 1 hour.

PREPARE GELEE ONCE MOUSSE IS COLD:

Puree grapes in cleaned blender until smooth, then transfer to a small heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil with sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, then boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 6 minutes.

Strain through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup.

Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp grape juice in another small saucepan and let soften 1 minute.

Heat mixture over low heat, swirling pan, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and remaining grape juice.

Cool 5 minutes, then stir in chives.

Spoon about 3 Tbsp grape mixture over each mousse. Chill until gelee is set, about 1 hour.

Before serving, bring mousse to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

COOKS NOTE: Mousse with gelee can be chilled up to 3 days.