Liver is one of those ingredients you either love or hate, as it's not the easiest ingredient to get down the hatch. Although it may not be for everybody, it certainly is for every body. Liver is considered one of the most nutritious foods available and has always been revered for its health benefits. From a suite of vitamins, to COQ10, folic acid, and so on, I see liver as a valuable ingredient for myself and my family. Wether it be sourced from chicken, duck, venison, or pork, liver is a must for all ages.
The recipe below was originally found over at Saveur.com. The terrine, topped with Concord grape jelly caught my eye one autumn day as I sat in my house looking at nearly 10 pounds of grapes just harvested from the vines out in the garden. With migratory bird hunting season opening up soon here in Maine, I thought the combo could be duplicated with seasonal appropriateness. A touch of sweet and tart from the jelly is a nice contrast to the rich, buttery organ meat. A few of the ramekins can be frozen and saved for a rainy day.
Duck Liver Terrine
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 pound duck livers (any liver will do)
- 1/2 cup cream
- sea salt, to taste
- 3 1/2 teaspoons gelatin
- 2 cups fresh grape juice
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan. Add the shallots and garlic, stirring occasionally as they cook and soften up. Add the stock and rosemary, reduce by half then set aside to cool.
- Place the remaining butter, liver, cream, and salt into a food processor and puree until mixture is free of lumps. Add in the reduced chicken stock and blend to incorporate.
- Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins and place in a hotel pan, filled with hot water halfway of the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the terrines have set.
- Mix the gelatin with 1/4 cup of grape juice. Heat the remainder of the juice then whisk into the set gelatin. Pour about 1/4 inch of gelatinized juice over the terrines then place int he fridge to set.
- Chill for about 3-4 hours before serving.
