The Beast Within
Naomi Pomeroy's got a soft spot for chicken-liver mousse
Although chef Naomi Pomeroy's self-described "refined French grandmother cuisine" just snagged her a Food & Wine Best New Chef award, she's best known locally for the unapologetic, no-substitutions policy she adheres to at her Portland, Oregon, restaurant, Beast.
Pomeroy (pictured) lets the seasons--and her whims--guide her cooking. Some dishes, like a potato and green garlic soup, allow the ingredients to shine in simple preparations. Others, such as a saddle of rabbit stuffed with braised oxtail and currants, are of the style that's made Beast a destination for adventurous eaters.
Her six-course menu changes weekly, but Pomeroy's signature charcuterie plate is a constant, as is its star component: house-made crackers slathered with chicken-liver mousse and sprinkled with candied bacon.
It's this dish Pomeroy wants you to make at home. And if you can't find maple sugar for the bacon, she'll allow this one substitution: Brown sugar works just fine.
Click here to download the recipe (PDF).
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