Directions
- Pour boiling water over the cashews and allow them to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until they are translucent. Add the apples, thyme, pepper, salt and nutmeg and continue cooking for 15 minutes, until everything is very tender.
- Rinse the livers and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add the livers to the pan and cook, lidded, for 5 minutes on each side—until gray/brown on the outside and red/purple on the inside.
- Drain the cashews and place them in a blender with the ¾ cup warm water. Blend until smooth.
- Add the liver mixture to the blender.
- Return the empty pan to the burner on medium heat, and add the wine. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reduced wine to the blender, along with the lemon juice and vinegar. Blend on low at first, then increase to high and blend until smooth.
- Return the blender to low, and while running, add ¼ cup olive oil. Continue blending until incorporated.
- Spoon the mousse into clean jars and lid. Chill overnight before serving. Will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Serve with buckwheat crackers or slices of tart apples and garnish with fresh parsley.
Health Benefits
When eating whole foods, it’s important to consider eating the whole animal. The lesser-appreciated parts are often chock-full of nutrients that either never make it past the trash can or just go home with the butcher (who knows best what they have to offer, as our ancestors did). Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available to us and is incredibly high in absorbable vitamins and minerals, ranging from A, D, E, K, to B12, iron and folic acid.
One misconception people often have is that the liver is the organ where toxins are stored. While one of its main processes is to filter and neutralize toxins, it does not store them. When the body cannot eliminate toxins, they are typically stored in fat reserves. That said, you still want to always procure organ meats from reputable sources and eat only organic, pasture-raised varieties.
If you are afraid to try liver as-is, this mousse recipe does a really nice job of toning down the flavor so that you can ease into incorporating this superfood into your diet and gradually develop a taste for it!
