Chicken Liver Pate

This pate is easy to make, ideal for any time of year and freezes well. An ideal starter that you can make in advance of the dinner and freeze.

Serves 10-12 people Prep time 30 mins

Ingredients

225g fresh organic chicken livers**
160g butter, cubed
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons brandy
Freshly ground pepper
150g clarified butter to top*

Method

1. Remove any membrane or green-tinged bits from the livers. Dry on kitchen paper.
2. Melt a little butter in a frying pan; when the butter begins to foam, add in the livers and cook over a gentle heat until all trace of pink is gone. Be careful not to overcook.
3. Add garlic and thyme leaves to the pan, stir pour into a food processor or blender.
4. De-glaze the pan with brandy, allow to flame or reduce for two to three minutes.
5. Scrape everything with a spatula into a food processor or blender. Purée for a few seconds. Allow to cool.
6. Add the butter. Purée until smooth. Season carefully, taste and add more butter, if necessary.
7. Put into individual pots or one large terrine. Tap on the worktop to knock out any air bubbles.
8. Clarify the butter by gently heating it in a saucepan. Allow to stand for a few minutes. Spoon the white layer of salt particles off the top and discard. The clear liquid butter is the clarified butter. Spoon a little over the top of the pâté to seal. Discard the milky liquid.
9. Serve with melba toast or hot white bread, caramelised onion relish is delicious also with it.
10. This will keep for four or five days in a fridge.

* If you don't cover the pate with clarified butter or just melted butter it may become bitter in taste and grey in colour.

** Can be tricky to get, best to order with your organic farmer. Most organic and free range chicken livers go straight to the restaurant trade.

I used the Froothie evolve blender here to make the pate, although any food processor or blender will do. Here is my review of the Froothie Evolve!