Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 3 shallots, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • ½ cup cubed sourdough bread
  • 1 pound chicken livers
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of one large lemon
  • Cornichons and pearl onions
  • Sourdough toast

 Instructions

  1. In a wide skillet, cook the shallots and garlic in two tablespoons of butter over medium heat until soft and turning brown, about five minutes. Add the bread cubes to the butter and toast it for a couple minutes. Push the shallots and bread to one side of the pan and add the chicken livers in a single layer. Season them generously with salt, black pepper and lemon juice; cook livers until browned but still pink in the center, about five to seven minutes.
  2. Transfer contents of the skillet to the bowl of a food processor outfitted with a metal blade and puree the livers until smooth. Once the mixture is finely pureed, add the remaining cold butter a tablespoon at a time waiting 10 to 20 seconds between each addition to allow the butter to emulsify into the chicken liver spread.
  3. Once the spread is very smooth, shut off the food processor and place in a serving vessel or storage container. Serve with plenty of cornichons, pearl onions, and toasted sourdough bread.

Note: Left over chicken liver spread can be sealed with chicken or duck fat and refrigerated for up to five days.