Truffled Chicken Liver Parfait with Sauternes Jelly

⏱ 150 min · Serves 8

Silk-smooth, madeira-spiked liver parfait perfumed with black truffle, set under a shimmering amber layer of Sauternes jelly. It takes patience and a sieve, but the payoff is a restaurant-grade terrine that makes toast feel like an occasion.

Per serving: 495 kcal · 14.0g protein · 11.0g carbs · 42.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g chicken livers, trimmed of sinew and any green patches
• 250g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus 30g for sealing
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 sprig thyme
• 75ml Madeira
• 75ml ruby port
• 50ml brandy
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp black truffle paste (or 10g fresh black truffle, finely grated)
• 1 tsp truffle oil (optional)
• 300ml Sauternes (or other sweet dessert wine)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 4 sheets (about 8g) leaf gelatine
• Toasted brioche and sea salt flakes, to serve

Method

1. Soak the trimmed livers in cold milk or salted water for 2 hours (or overnight) in the fridge, then drain well and pat completely dry. This gives the cleanest flavour and palest colour.
2. Put the shallots, garlic, thyme, Madeira, port and brandy in a small pan. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until reduced to a syrupy 3-4 tablespoons. Discard the thyme and let cool slightly.
3. Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan. Line a 900g/1.2 litre terrine mould or loaf tin with cling film, leaving an overhang, and set it in a deep roasting tray. Boil a kettle.
4. Blitz the livers in a blender with the reduction, eggs, salt, sugar and white pepper until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, add the room-temperature butter a few cubes at a time until glossy, then blend in the truffle paste and truffle oil.
5. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve twice, pushing it through with a ladle. Skim off any foam.
6. Pour into the terrine, cover tightly with foil, and pour boiling water into the tray to come two-thirds up the sides. Bake 45-55 minutes, until the centre wobbles as one set custard and reads 64-66C on a probe.
7. Lift out of the bain-marie, cool 30 minutes, then chill at least 4 hours (overnight is better). Melt the extra 30g butter and brush a thin seal over the top if you aren't jellying immediately.
8. For the jelly, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Warm the Sauternes with the sugar until steaming but not boiling (keeping it just below a simmer preserves the honeyed aroma). Off the heat, squeeze out the gelatine and whisk it in. Cool to room temperature.
9. Pour the cooled jelly over the chilled parfait in a 1cm layer and return to the fridge for 2 hours until fully set.
10. Serve in thick slices straight from the mould, or scoop with a hot spoon, with warm toasted brioche and a pinch of sea salt flakes.