Last October we were on our way home from Blake’s Grandmother’s funeral in Utah and we stopped into this restaurant, Cultured Caveman, in Portland. Going into a restaurant by ourselves, without out little people, is a special treat which always ends up being a hard decision! We had heard of this paleo restaurant that served local and grass fed meats and fermented foods.

So we had to try it!

Just our kind of thing!

And by the way, I wouldn’t have hesitated to take my kids into Cultured Caveman because they would have totally eaten everything from the menu, and I totally believe in feeding my kids the best.

They just think this type of food is normal, and we know how special it is to have paleo lamb liver and sugar free kombucha served to us in a sit down restaurant.

It was very good! We loved the kombucha, we loved the pesto, but we especially fell in love with the lamb liver pate!

So we came home and recreated it!

You guys know how healthy is is to eat organ meat from healthy animals raised on pasture. The liver is a very nutrient dense food, here is what Sally Fallon Morell author of Nourishing Traditions says,

“Liver was considered a sacred food in almost all traditional cultures, necessary for strength, stamina…There is good reason for the reverence accorded to liver, because of all the foods in the human diet, liver is the most nutrient dense.

“In addition, liver is an excellent source of phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, vitamin B, vitamin B6, choline, biotin and folate. Liver actually contains more vitamin C per gram than apples or carrots. In addition, chicken, duck and goose liver are among our best sources of vitamin K2.

“By the way, cooking lamb or beef liver, rich in vitamin A, in lard or bacon fat, rich in vitamin D, provides a synergistic combination of these two key vitamins.”

Lamb Liver Mousse

INGREDIENTS:

2 TBSP onion finely chopped
1 tsp Nourished With Nature Lard (or olive oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup cognac or other brandy
6 oz. Nourished With Nature lamb liver, trimmed (3/4 cup)
5 Nourished With Nature egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup flour of your choice
1 1/4 tsp natural trace mineral salt (like Redmond)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
3 TBSP Kerrygold butter + 3 TBSP bacon grease or lard
2-3 bay leaves for decoration

*Special Equipment: a 2 1/2 - 3 cup ovenproof croc, terrine, or loaf pan

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 deg F with a rack in the middle of the oven

Cook minced onion in lard in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and carefully add Cognac. If the alcohol ignites, shake skillet. Boil to reduce until about 2 tablespoons remains, 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to a blender, add livers and yolks, then puree until smooth. Add milk, flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg and allspice. Blend until smooth. Pour into loaf pan, skimming off any foam.

Put loaf pan into a larger baking pan and bake in a water bath until mousse is just set and a small sharp knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

Melt butter and bacon grease in a small saucepan over low heat, remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes.

Arrange bay leaves decoratively on top of mousse. Skim froth from butter, then spoon enough clarified butter over mousse to cover it’s surface, leaving milky solids and bacon bits in bottom of saucepan.

Chill mousse completely, uncovered, about 4 hours. Then it can refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Enjoy with veggies such as carrot and celery sticks, sliced cucumbers or radish, broccoli florets, crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Enjoy this nutrient dense version or organ meat.

It’s surprisingly mild flavored and palatable, give it a try! And be well nourished!

Reserve a whole lamb because buying in bulk does save you money and guarantees you liver.

Or just visit our online store to grab your eggs, lard and liver.

***This recipe could easily be made with chicken or beef livers too! ***