leFarm's Whipped Chicken Livers w/ Shallot Jam
Bill Taibe
What would Thanksgiving be without a little offal and who gives better offal than LeFarm's Bill Taibe? I mean really...the man knows his organ meats. LeFarm will be offering this recipe for Whipped Chicken Livers with Shallot Jam for pickup at leFarm (203.557.3701), but if you want to make it yourself at home, here's how:
At a loss for where to find some great tasting chicken livers? Try the new Craft Butchery in the Saugatuck area of Westport.
WHIPPED CHICKEN LIVERS WITH SHALLOT JAM
Bill Taibe, leFarm Restaurant, Westport
Yields-Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 cup raisins
1 cup red wine
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 shallots, sliced
4 cups chicken livers, rinsed and patted dry
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup red-wine vinegar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons saba
Toasted bread, preferably walnut-olive bread, for serving
Shallot Jam
Sea salt
Directions
Place raisins in a medium heatproof bowl. Place red wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour wine over raisins; cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand until raisins are plump, at least 2 hours. Drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat until melted. Add shallots and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until shallots are caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove shallots from skillet and set aside.
Increase heat to high and add 2 tablespoons butter. Add chicken livers and season with salt and pepper; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Return shallots to skillet along with both vinegars. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Transfer chicken liver mixture and cooking liquid to the bowl of a food processor. Add remaining 12 tablespoons butter and process until smooth. Add saba and pulse to combine; strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cover and transfer to refrigerator until chilled.
Serve whipped chicken liver on toasted bread with jam.
SHALLOT JAM
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
10 shallots, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons vincotto
Directions
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until shallots are golden, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until bubbling and carmelized. Add both vinegars and cook until thickened.
Stir in vincotto and remove from heat. Remove thyme sprigs and discard.
Let cool before using.
Reader Comments (4)
I love this dish at the restaurant, but I've read this recipe 3x and I don't see any bacon!
Mike
Ya know...I read this a few times myself after your comment and realized that Bill had gone with Shallot Jam this time..not Bacon Marmelade. I expect bacon to be present in any and all of Bill's dishes. I'm sure we can get you the recipe for the Bacon Marmelade if you're interested.
Yum.
I don't get why you gush so much over Le Farm. Granted, the fresh farm food is lovely in comparison to the general boring dining scene around here. However, spending much time in California and being blessed with 24 x 7 FAB organic fresh cuisine there, Le Farm leaves much to be desired.
I went for lunch last week to bask in an excellent chardonnay they offered a couple weeks prior - the $18/glass Martinelli - and was sad to see it had been removed from the menu. No worries though, I'll try another wine and enjoy my lunch. Sadly, I ended up walking out with no wine or lunch.
The vegetarian options were about as dismal as going to any of the standard places around the County getting a plate of non-descript, non-meat crap. Sorry I really don't want only a plate of cheese or a salad for lunch. Why they couldn't whip me up something like the lovely Sugar & Olives does all the time is beyond me. I would have been happy with pasta and some vegetables. For the waiter to give me attitude over it too, no thank you. I wanted to drop some cash, not beg them to take my money.
So, I am probably one of few around here who is not a fan. I do thank them for turning me on to that Chardonnay though, which I will order by the case.
BTW, Sugar & Olives has a great French white wine on their menu now. Wish I could think of the name, but it makes for a lovely Parisian style lunch with their magnificent crepes!