Chicken Livers with Balsamic Glaze, Arugula, and Truffle Bubbles

This is my take on crostini toscani, a traditional Tuscan antipasta of chicken liver pâté on toast. This approach combines the chicken livers, sauteed to a golden brown, with a balsamic reduction, warm arugula, and truffle bubbles. Very tasty, but the dish is not for you if you don't like liver, as the organ is in your face. Speaking of which, the liver of haute cuisine is nothing like the liver and onions your grandfather ate, so give it a try if you think you hate it.

We prepare the truffle bubbles like any other culinary foam: Liquid, in this case the juice from a jar of preserved truffles, is frothed until bubbly. The foam is then spooned over the dish. We stabilize the mixture with soy lecithin, a soy-based emulsifier and stabilizer, available in most health and whole food stores.

This recipe calls for two types of balsamic: quite a bit of "balsamic vinegar" and just two tablespoons of the real thing, aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena. Use the best you can for both.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
about 8 slices of rustic farm-style bread
1/4 cup truffle jus (liquid from a jar of preserved truffles)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 grams soy lecithin
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound chicken livers, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, diced
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, toss the farm-style bread with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Place bread on a Silpat-lined baking sheet and bake until starting to brown, turning once in the middle of cooking, 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Lightly dust with cayenne pepper.

In a milk frothing pitcher or other tall vessel, combine the truffle jus, heavy cream, soy lecithin, and two pinches of sea salt. Stir well. Using an immersion blender or handheld milk frother, blend the mixture until frothed and bubbly. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, season the all-purpose flour with sea salt and black pepper. Dredge the chicken livers in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess.

Heat a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken livers and saute until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, reserve to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the shallot to the saute pan and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Lower heat to medium. Return the chicken liver to the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the balsamic vinegar. Cook until the liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat.

Add the arugula and the aceto balsamico tradizionale, tossing to coat and heat, but not wilt.

Divide the crostinis among individual appetizer plates or one large serving platter. Pile a handful of arugula on each crostini. Top with one or two chicken livers. Spoon a teaspoon or two of truffle foam on top of the livers. Serve immediately. Pairs well with Chianti Classico.