Pork Liver Pâté
This is a rather simple recipe for a pork liver mousse/pâté that I often make.
I think it is best served on a slice of home-made country loaf with fresh cherries and accompanied by a bourbon spritz,
but the options are multitude.
YOU WILL NEED:
pork liver, about 1/3 to 1/2 pound, cleaned and sliced into 6 or 7 pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
a shot of brandy, calvados, or whiskey; for deglazing
5-6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 TBS of fresh chopped thyme
salt + pepper
a stick and a half of butter, cold and cut into cubes
apple cider vinegar (sherry or red wine vinegar will also do the job)
a pinch of the following spices: cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and white pepper
What you're gonna do:
01. Place a cast iron (or other good pan) on high heat, and add a little olive oil. Season your liver with salt and pepper. When the pan just starts to smoke, sear the liver pieces on both sides to get good caramelization. Just before you take the liver out of the pan, turn the gas off and deglaze the pan (away from the flames) with your liquor. Set liver aside.
02. In a separate pan, caramelize the onions and garlic on medium-low heat until a rich brown color is achieved. Just before the onion mix is done, stir in chopped thyme. Set aside.
03. When the liver and onions have cooled slightly, purée the liver and onions in a food processor. With the processor running, add a few cubes of cold butter at a time, waiting each time for the cubes to emulsify before adding more.
04. Pass the mixture through a sieve (or strainer), using a spatula to press everything through. Discard the solids left in the sieve (solids left in the sieve after finishing are make for great snacks for your furry, four-legged companions - no, I don't mean your husband!), and place the smooth mixture in a mixing bowl.
05. In a separate bowl, mis all of the ground spices together. Now you have a Pork Pâté Spice Mix.
06. Season the liver mousse with salt, pepper, and a little of the pâté spice mix. Taste. Adjust. AAdd a little apple cider vinegar for brightness.
07. While the mousse is still warm, spoon or pipe it into the jar(s). Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the mousse in the jars to form a fat cap. Seal the jars and place in the fridge. Mousse lasts, as such, for up to two weeks.