Fresh Duck Liver Bruschetta Recipes

GARLIC TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine oil, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. , Bring to room temperature before serving. Cut bread into 24 slices; toast under broiler until lightly browned. Top with tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

FRESH DUCK LIVER, SHALLOTS AND BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Season the duck livers with salt and pepper and add the livers to the hot oil. Saute over medium high heat to brown the liver well before adding the shallots to the pan. Saute the shallots until translucent. Add the honey to the pan, allowing it to melt and begin to bubble. Add the vinegar carefully so that the hot honey does not splash. Add the port and cook for 2 minutes before adding the veal stock. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, reduce to a simmer and braise the livers for 2 minutes while the sauce simmers.
• Toast the slices of brioche and wash and quarter the fresh figs. Serve the duck livers, along with sauce, over the brioche and garnish each plate with several slices of fig.

DUCK LIVER MOUSSE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Place the livers in a bowl and add the milk to cover. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well and pat livers dry.
• In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp and all of the fat is rendered, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Set bacon aside. Reserve the bacon drippings. Add the livers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper and cook until the livers are just slightly pink and the shallots are soft, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the cognac and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the livers are cooked through but still tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large shallow bowl to cool.
• Once cooled, place the liver mixture together with any drippings in the bowl of a food processor and add the cream cheese and 1/2 pound butter and process until smooth. Add salt to taste if necessary.
• Spoon the mixture into small ramekins or serving bowls and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• While the mousse is chilling, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large skillet and add the onions. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. If the onions begin to toughen or get too dark around the edges before they are soft and caramelized, add a bit of water, as necessary. Season the onions with salt and pepper, to taste, transfer to a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve the mousse.
• Crumble the crisp-cooked bacon into a small bowl.
• To serve the mousse, place the ramekins on a plate and serve with the toasted croutons. The caramelized onions and crumbled bacon should be nearby in small bowls for guests to garnish their mousse-spread croutons. (Alternatively, spread the mousse on the croutons and garnish with the onions and crumbled bacon and pass the assembled hors d'oeuvres on a platter.)