Chicken Liver and Pancetta Crostini
My grandmother used to take whatever extra livers we had—calf, chicken, goose—and cook them with bacon and a splash of Cognac. She chopped the mixture with a mezzaluna, creating a rustic spread. I swap pancetta for the bacon and puree the mixture in a food processor to create a creamy mousse.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the grill or broiler to medium-high.
Step 2
Cook the pancetta in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the fat renders, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
Step 3
Generously season the livers with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet you used to cook the pancetta and onion and melt over high heat. Add the livers in a single layer and cook, turning once, until browned on the outside and rosy pink in the center, about 4 minutes. Be careful—the livers pop and sputter when cooking. Do not overcook them. Immediately transfer to the food processor with the butter in the pan.
Step 4
Add the Cognac to the skillet, tilt the pan toward the flame, and flambé. Let boil until reduced by half. Transfer to the food processor and pulse the mixture until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Step 5
Generously drizzle oil on both sides of the bread. Grill, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes. Rub the hot toast with the garlic. Divide the liver mousse among the toast slices and spread evenly. Drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle with the sage. Cut each toast into quarters and serve immediately.
c’est bon
Step 6
Overcooked livers have an unpleasant, metallic taste. You can take them out of the pan and cut into them while they’re cooking to see if they’re done. And because they’re not uniform in size, be sure to remove the smaller ones first.
