Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to
1 pound pork liver ½ pound pork fat 1 pound ground pork ¼ onion, chopped 2 quarts cold water 4 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons ground black pepper ¾ cup chopped sage 4 cups cornmeal
Cut pork liver and pork fat into ½-inch cubes. Add the ground pork, pork liver, pork fat, and chopped onion to a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven. Add 2 quarts of cold water to pot. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2½ to 3 hours or until fat has rendered.
Remove meat from pot and reserve cooking liquid.
Add cooked meat, in batches, to a food processor and return it to the pot of cooking liquid.
Add salt, pepper, and sage, and let the mixture come to a boil. When the water boils, gradually add the cornmeal, stirring until mixture thickens. Pour the mixture into loaf pans and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Cover pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, slice block of liver pudding to desired thickness. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet and sauté slices until browned and crisp, cooking 1 to 2 minutes per side.
The influence of a mother’s love — and sometimes her recipes — can be found in restaurant kitchens and on plates in dining rooms across North Carolina.