| Ingredients
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Yield: 8-10 servings
Mousse
• 10 oz. chicken fat, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 lg. bay leaf
• 3/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 6 oz. chicken breast, cleaned and cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 c. sliced shallots
• 10 oz. chicken livers, cleaned
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed, chopped
• 2 tbsp. cognac
• 1/4 c. shelled pistachios
Decoration
• Thin strips of red pepper, chives, green of leeks or scallions,
carrot, and radishes
Aspic
• 1 lg. egg white
• 3/4 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 c. green of leeks, celery, and parsley
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1-1/2 c. chicken stock
• Melba toast or black bread
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Jacques Pépin's Hanukkah Celebration
Cold Mousse of Chicken and Pistachios
This silky chicken mousse, paired with pistachios,
is as easy to prepare as it is delicious. Garnished with a medley of
colorful vegetables, it makes an elegant and extravagant presentation.
Preparation
For the mousse:
Cook chicken fat in large skillet over med-high heat until
fat is rendered and brown. In a coffee-grinder, process the thyme,
bay leaf, and peppercorns into a powder. Add chicken pieces to
skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add shallots, liver, spices, salt,
and garlic to the skillet. Cook over med. heat, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Remove and let cool for 2 minutes.
Transfer contents of skillet to a food processor and emulsify
for 30 seconds, until smooth. Add cognac and process until smooth.
Push mixture through a food mill, and fold in pistachios.
Cover the mousse, and refrigerate until it begins to set firm.
Mix until smooth, pack it into 3-4 c. pâté mold, cover tightly
with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
To decorate the top of the mousse,
use the thin strips of
vegetables to create a vase filled with flowers or another design.
All the greens should be blanched in boiling water for
10-15 seconds and cooled in cold water.
Carrots should be blanched for 1 minute.
For the aspic:
In a saucepan, mix the egg white, gelatin, the greens of leeks,
celery, and parsley; pepper, salt, and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat,
stirring until it comes to a boil. When it comes to a boil,
stop stirring, and cook 5 seconds. Set aside, off the heat,
and let rest undisturbed for 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve
lined with wet paper towels. Place over ice, and stir very gently
so as to not cause bubbles, until mixture gets syrupy.
This is the time to use it. Using a spoon and working quickly,
coat the top of the mousse with aspic until the entire surface is covered.
Refrigerate until well set.
Serve with Melba toast or black bread.
View Winter Recipes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Recipe courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf, ©2001 Jacques Pépin
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 Recipe Slideshow |
Always welcome at a party, a cold main-dish
mousse can be made ahead and is attractive and showy as a centerpiece when decorated.
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| Technique Slideshow |
• decorating a mousse
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Claudine's Tip:
You can also use the pre-cut vegetables
to make a holiday decoration on top of the mousse,
and it's lots of fun for kids to help out.
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Jacques Pépin's Hanukkah Celebration
• Consommé Printanier with Chicken Quenelles
• Cold Mousse of Chicken and Pisachios
• Veal Roast with Braised Lettuce
• Vegetable Pancakes Tempura
• Salad
• Frozen Citrus Soufflé with Ladyfingers
• Holiday Fruitcake
Wines
• Veuve Clicquot Vintage Reserve '95
• Vincent Girardin Santenay 1er Cru '97
• Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay '97
See TV episode description
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