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Recipe Detail Page
Chicken Liver Mousse with Grape Jelly and Savoury Beignets
Holiday 2024
This decadent appetizer finds pillowy homemade beignets (fried doughnuts) spread with satiny chicken liver mousse and a dab of Concord grape jelly for sweetness. The beignets could also be made on their own and served warm, dusted generously with icing sugar, for dessert.
Serves 8
CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE
1 lb (455 g) chicken livers, patted dry, trimmed
Salt to taste
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped shallots
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup (125 mL) Madeira
3 tbsp (45 mL) heavy cream
BEIGNETS
2/3 cup (150 mL) whole milk
3 tbsp (45 mL) sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) dry active yeast
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing bowl
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Canola oil for frying
Concord grape jelly for serving
1. For the chicken liver mousse, season chicken livers with salt. Set aside.
2. Heat 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add chicken livers, thyme and Madeira. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken livers are lightly browned and just slightly pink in middles, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and transfer contents of pan to a blender. Add remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter and cream. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. Pass mousse through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl. Transfer to a serving jar or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so it’s against surface of mousse. Refrigerate until cool, about 3 hours. It will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
4. For the beignets, warm milk to 100°F (38°C). Stir in 1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar and yeast. Let stand until mixture becomes bubbly on surface, about 10 minutes.
5. Place milk mixture, butter, eggs and remaining sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Stir to combine. Add in flour and salt. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Increase speed to medium-high. Mix until dough is smooth and uniform, about 5 minutes.
6. Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
7. Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into an 8 × 10-inch (20 × 25-cm) rectangle about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 2-inch (5-cm) squares and transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray.
8. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) oil in a heavy-duty pot to 350°F (177°C). Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. In batches, fry dough until golden and puffed, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to rack.
9. To serve, scoop chicken liver mousse onto a serving platter and smear flat. Top mousse with a generous dollop of grape jelly. Serve with beignets.
Serves 8
