There has been a rash of moose-related recipes on the Internet lately. Moose stew. Moose loaf. Even moose pie.
I wonder why.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’d be delighted to sit down to a dish of spicy, rib-sticking moose chili, or a juicy, decadent moose burger, or perhaps a dainty dish of medallions of moose loin in a sultry juniper sauce.
But the thing is, you can’t exactly pick up a moose shank at the local King Soopers. To get your hands on moose meat, you either have to get licensed, permitted, ammoed and outfitted for a week-long, cold-climate backcountry hunting expedition, or you have to glad-hand (and perhaps bribe) your neighborhood butcher, who might know a guy who knows a guy who has a deep-freezer in the garage stocked with moose meat of questionable origin.
I suggest a work-around: mousse.
Chocolate mousse, at once light and rich, is unbeatable as a finishing note to any meal. With enough chocolate flavor to sate chocoholics, but an airiness that won’t put you into a coma, it’s a win-win dessert. And not nearly as difficult to make as they’d like you to believe.
Because whatever you think about the current governor of Alaska, and no matter where you fall on the political spectrum, mousse is an issue we can all get behind.
Here’s a good recipe. When served as the final course, it’s guaranteed to smooth whatever feathers were ruffled during that heated dinnertime political “discussion.”
Chocolate Mousse
From “Chocolate Epiphany,” by François Payard. Makes about 2 cups.
Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
5 ounces chocolate, melted over a double boiler and cooled
Directions
In a large bowl, whip cream until it holds soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Place the eggs and egg yolk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until fluffy.
While the eggs are being beaten, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. After the syrup has boiled for 1 minutes, pour it into the eggs in a slow stream, with the mixer running, down the inside of the bowl. Continue whipping the eggs until they have doubled in volume and are cold (feel the bottom of the bowl to check), about 5 minutes. They will be pale yellow.
With a silicone spatula, fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, then fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. Mousse will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
