Pork Liver Pâté

1. Remove any connective tissue, the white portions. All that should remain is the richly colored organ tissue. Cut into half, or 1 1/2 lbs worth. Reserve the other half for later. Cut the liver into 1 inch cubes. Place in a bowl, cover with milk, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. Meanwhile start to caramelize the onions. Add the butter, onions, and a pinch of salt to a large pan. Take heed of the word "caramelize", not sauté. Cook them on a low heat, slowly. This truly transforms the onions and draws out the natural sugars. Stir them every so often so they brown, but do not burn. When the onions are a rich caramel color and have almost disintegrated, add the minced garlic. Let the garlic soften a bit.
3. Pull out the liver cubes, drain the milk and add to the onions. Cook the liver until the cubes are firm to the touch and the juices run clear. Deglaze the pan with a slosh of port or brandy. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor. Add the port or brandy and the cream. Whip everything to a super fine mousse.
4. For a fabulously creamy and smooth pâté, you'll need to do one final and seemingly superfluous step. Scoop the blended mousse into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Using a flexible spatula, push the mousse through the sieve. At first it seems like nothing is happening, but then you will notice a strange play-dough like phenomenon happening under the sieve. Eventually you'll push through all the pâté and have separated any larger bits.
5. Use a butter knife to scrape the pâté into jars.

Serve the pâté chilled and spread on crackers. Thinly sliced shallots are a tasty topping.