Weekly Recipe: Chicken Liver Foie Gras Mousse By The Ellington NYC

Looking for a recipe that will stun your guests? Want to sharpen your technique and brush up on a French cooking classic? Chef Christopher Arturo has you covered, sharing his recipe for chicken liver foie gras mousse below.

Chef Arturo serves this for elevated eaters at The Ellington in New York City. It’s a charming spot on the Upper West Side that specializes in a contemporary American menu, but of course, this has French cooking written all over it.

See also: Weekly Recipe: Lobster Pot Pie By Michael Mina

"It means a lot to me, because I’m classically trained in French cuisine and, to me, it’s the ultimate high-brow/low-brow item,” Arturo says. “Humble chicken livers, decadent foie gras and the elegant flavors/texture combination make me happy. This is my mother’s favorite thing that I make and I can always count on a smile if I bring a pint over to the house. It’s a great dish to make at home because it’s quite simple, but is an absolute crowd pleaser. All prep and no last minute execution."

This recipe yields one serving, and it does require quite a lot of prep, including a step to soak the livers in a mustard and milk mixture for at least 24 hours before beginning the cooking stages. Plan ahead and give this your all, and you’ll feel like a Michelin star classic in no time.

Chicken Liver Foie Gras Mousse

Ingredients:

Livers

• 2000 g Chicken Livers
• 1 L Milkwhole
• 150 g Dijon Mustard

Shallot Mixture

• 200 g Shallots, sliced thin
• 50 g Garlic, sliced thin
• 100 g Unsalted Butter
• 5 g Salt For the Mousse
• 100 mL Avocado Oil
• 100 mL Cognac
• 10 g Espelette
• 20 g Worcestershire Sauce
• 20 g Dijon Mustard
• 20 g Aged Sherry Vinegar
• 250 g Butter
• 250 g Foie Grasdeveined

Gelee

• 750 mL White Wine Alsacian Reisling
• 10 g Shallot
• 8 g Galic
• 5 g Thyme
• 3 g Salt
• 15 g Sugar
• 10 pc Gelatin Sheet

Directions:

Livers

1. Whisk together milk and Dijon.
2. Strain livers and runner cold water until water runs completely clean.
3. Soak livers in the mustard milk mixture in a Camaro for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Make sure to move the livers around before putting in refrigerator so they are submerged.

Shallot Mixture

1. Melt the butter in a medium sautoir.
2. Add shallot, garlic and salt and cook on low heat until a rich, deep color develops.
3. Strain and reserve the butter for future use. Reserve the solids in the refrigerator for the following day.

Mousse

1. Strain the livers again and run under cold water until water runs clean.
2. Lay out kitchen towels on a half sheet tray. Place livers in one layer and pat dry with an additional kitchen towel.
3. Leave two 12" sauté pans on the heat to get white hot.
4. Turn off the flame. Add 50mL of avocado oil to each.
5. Season the livers liberally with salt and pepper.
6. Gently place into the hot pans WITH THE HEAT OFF!!!!!
7. Once the livers are in the pans, return the heat sear heavily on both sides for 1 minute each. Livers should have intense sear, but still be raw in the middle. The residual heat in the food processor will finish cooking the liver.
8. Flambe with cognac.
9. Place on half resting rack on a half sheet.
10. Place livers in the Robot Coupe while still piping hot. Add reserved shallot mixture.
11. Add Worcestershire, espelette, dijon, Sherry.
12. While Robot Coupe is running, slowly chunk in butter and foie pieces. Run until fully incorporated.
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
14. Push mixture through a tammis. Place in a ⅓ pan. Place plastic wrap in contact with the mousse to prevent any discoloration. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
15. Place all mousse in 3 piping bags and fill 4oz glass ramekins ⅔ full. Gently tap the ramekins to flatten the mousse.
16. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Gelee

1. Bring wine, aromatics and seasoning to a boil.
2. Bloom gelatin sheets in ice water.
3. Strain Liquid into a Bain Marie.
4. Remove gelatin from water and squeeze out excess. Add to hot wine mixture.
5. Gently mix through the gelatin until fully dissolved. Place in ice bath to cool to 80ºF
6. Top ramekins with ¼-inch of gelee. Allow to set in the refrigerator. Cap and reserve for service.

Visit The Ellington in NYC and online for more delicious dishes and inspiration.