I love pate, preferably duck liver, but I also like chicken liver pate. There is a party Saturday and I wanted to practice. This recipe is adapted from Food Network.
Chicken Liver Pate
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 stick (125 ml) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup (250 ml)chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons (10 ml) minced garlic
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) capers drained
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh chopped
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy or cognac
METHOD
- Soak the livers in milk for 2 hours, drain well.
- Over medium high heat in a heavy skillet, melt half the butter. Add the onions and cook stirring about 3 minutes
- Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken livers, the capers, bayleaves, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook until livers are browned on outside, but still pink on inside. About 5 minutes.
- Add the cognac and cook until most of the liquid is gone and the livers are tender.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly, discard the bay leaves.
- Puree the the liver mixture in a food processor, add the remaining butter and pulse to blend. It’s not very pretty.
- Check seasonings and pack into ramekins, cover in plastic and refrigerate 5-6 hours.
Serve with small toast rounds, good mustard, cornichons, and capers. It is delicious liver spread. I’ll make this for sure for the party!
Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!
April 5, 2011
>I have a suggestion to "pretty-up" the pate for the party: put a layer of melted butter on the top of the (cooled) finished article, and arrange a few fresh bay leaves in it, and then re-refrigerate. This will make a nice-looking yellow top layer – and it also helps to keep the pate fresh. I find the pate can look very unappetisingly grey unless you do something to smarten it up. 🙂
April 5, 2011
>Mark, yes of course, as this was a test run, I didn't feel the need. I'll certainly tart them up for the party.