Chicken Liver Pate
Pasteta, a pantry staple in any Croatian home. As kids you grow up on a tinned version that you spread on bread and you love it. Then you grow up and try real Pate, well, what a difference, real pate, freshly made pate is truly one of the most delicious things you can eat, it is nothing like the tinned version.
My husband and I went out to dinner for our anniversary one year to a local restaurant and we ordered some pate, it was my first try of real pate, now I had tried some from the deli section previously, with the orange jelly on top, but this was better, this was amazing, this was better than any pate I had ever tried before. Every mouthful was amazing, it was one of those OMG moments, one of those I love this, moments, I need to learn to make this moments.
Pate is sexy, there I said it, somewhere in time it went out of fashion, but I say this should never, ever be made out of fashion as every mouthful is creamy, smooth, delicious and amazing. It is hard to believe that offal can be sexy, but this is.
This recipe is originally from Donna Hay's Cookbook-A Cook's Guide. This is what I love about food, it is to be shared, recipes are to be shared, it is when you love something so much, you need to share it, you need to tell others what you know.
Now a few tips: About the livers: Make sure the livers are fresh, that is really important, they should be glossy and moist. Make sure you trim the livers of any white connective tissue and bloodlines to ensure your pate doesn't taste bitter. Once this is done, the recipe is quick and easy.
You could use one small brown onion instead of an eschalot, but I prefer eschalots. You can also use pure cream instead of thickened cream.
Once you have placed the clarified butter on the livers, the pate can keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but trust me, it won't last that long.
With the chunky bits that don't make it through the sieve, my goodness don't throw it out, save it and eat it to, it's a cook's treat, you could share it if you had to.
So this is a recipe everyone should try, I know I am going to make this again and again and again.
My husband and I went out to dinner for our anniversary one year to a local restaurant and we ordered some pate, it was my first try of real pate, now I had tried some from the deli section previously, with the orange jelly on top, but this was better, this was amazing, this was better than any pate I had ever tried before. Every mouthful was amazing, it was one of those OMG moments, one of those I love this, moments, I need to learn to make this moments.
Pate is sexy, there I said it, somewhere in time it went out of fashion, but I say this should never, ever be made out of fashion as every mouthful is creamy, smooth, delicious and amazing. It is hard to believe that offal can be sexy, but this is.
This recipe is originally from Donna Hay's Cookbook-A Cook's Guide. This is what I love about food, it is to be shared, recipes are to be shared, it is when you love something so much, you need to share it, you need to tell others what you know.
Now a few tips: About the livers: Make sure the livers are fresh, that is really important, they should be glossy and moist. Make sure you trim the livers of any white connective tissue and bloodlines to ensure your pate doesn't taste bitter. Once this is done, the recipe is quick and easy.
You could use one small brown onion instead of an eschalot, but I prefer eschalots. You can also use pure cream instead of thickened cream.
Once you have placed the clarified butter on the livers, the pate can keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but trust me, it won't last that long.
With the chunky bits that don't make it through the sieve, my goodness don't throw it out, save it and eat it to, it's a cook's treat, you could share it if you had to.
So this is a recipe everyone should try, I know I am going to make this again and again and again.
Recipe
Recipe adapted from www.notquitenigella.com
Makes 2 pots
20g butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 eschalot, finely diced
350g chicken livers, trimmed
1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
125g cold butter, extra, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) thickened cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
80g butter, clarified
Toasted bread and cornichons, to serve
Makes 2 pots
20g butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 eschalot, finely diced
350g chicken livers, trimmed
1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
125g cold butter, extra, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) thickened cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
80g butter, clarified
Toasted bread and cornichons, to serve
Firstly, trim the livers of any white connective tissue and bloodlines to ensure your pate doesn't taste bitter.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter to the pan. Saute the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the trimmed livers and cook for 2-3 minutes. The inside of the livers should still be pink. Add the brandy and cook for 1 minute.
Place the liver mixture into the bowl of a food processor, add the extra cold butter cubes and the cream and process until very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once while blitzing the livers. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, don't forget to season, it is really important.
Press the mixture through a fine sieve. Pour into sterilised jars or containers. I then just put this in the fridge to set a little while I clarified the butter.
Clarified butter is just butter with the milk solids removed. To clarify the butter, heat it gently over a very low heat without stirring. Remove from heat and allow to stand - as the butter cools the milk solids will separate to the bottom and the liquidy yellow clarified butter will sit at the top. Spoon this carefully onto the top of the pate to seal it and refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
Once set, serve it with crusty bread, fresh or toasted and a bowl full of cornichons.
Once set, serve it with crusty bread, fresh or toasted and a bowl full of cornichons.
Enjoy!
