Chicken Liver Paté
This beautiful Chicken Liver Pate is velvety smooth and moreish. I wanted the paté to have a slightly different look because appearance, or rather temptation, matters and served this way it cuts beautifully, rather like a cake.
Ingredients
Makes 400ml, about 14 fl.oz, or 14oz.
Enough for 6 small ramekins
380g chicken livers
300g butter
1 tsp. redcurrant jelly
1 fresh bay leaf (+ more for garnish)
2 cloves garlic
1 big tsp. mixed spice
2 big tbsps. brandy (optional)
3 tbsps. double cream
Salt and Pepper
Extra butter to seal the pots/pour over the paté
Herbs to garnish
Method
Melt 50g of the butter in a frying pan, stir in the mixed spice and grate in the garlic
Add the livers, redcurrant jelly, bay leaf and seasoning
Cook the livers on a medium heat until all the bloodiness has gone and just a blush of pink remains
In a separate small pan melt the remaining butter and set aside
Transfer the livers to the goblet of a food processor, but keep all liquid in the frying pan
Remove the bay leaf and bubble the liquid in the frying pan on a high heat to reduce down to about 4 tablespoons.
Add the brandy to the frying pan, warm it for a moment or two then set it alight to burn off the alcohol. If you prefer not to set fire to it, that's fine.
Add the frying pan's liquid to the cooked chicken livers in the food processor and whizz to smooth
With the processor running, gradually add the melted butter you set aside earlier to the pâté. When all the butter is incorporated, add the cream. Whizz until silky smooth. Taste and season
Now simply pour into individual ramekins (enough for approx. 6) or pot
For the pudding shape, simply line a bowl which will hold 400ml/14 fl.oz with a double layer of wet cling film and pour in the liquid pate. Allow to set, preferably over night.
Turn out from the bowl with the help of the cling film • Pour over the melted butter and decorate with fresh herbs.
Helpful Hints
If the pate is completely sealed in a pot with butter it will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
The redcurrant jelly neutralizes the slight bitterness chicken livers can have.
When using fresh bay leaves for garnish, wipe them with a kitchen paper dipped in a little oil to give a fresh looking shine. For my garnish I used rosemary, bay, thyme, paprika and black onion seeds.
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