Chicken Liver Pate

• • Delia, p98

• http://www.eatingnosetotail.com/2/post/2010/07/video-quick-liver-pat.html

• http://freshlocalandbest.blogspot.com/2010/12/chicken-liver-porcini-pate-with.html

Jacques Pepin

• • 1 pound chicken livers, well-trimmed

  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 small garlic clove, smashed and peeled

  • 2 bay leaf

  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

  • 1 tsp Kosher salt

  • 1 cup water

  • 12 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 tbs teaspoons brandy

  • Freshly ground pepper

Notes: do you really want the water here? Just saute in some of the butter.

Keep salt back until later. Add 1 tsp lemon juice.

Rough chop with knife, mash with spoon in pan - less blended texture.

Method:

• 1. Clean the livers - remove fat and sinew, rinse and pat dry.

  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken livers, onion, garlic, thyme and salt.

  3. Add the water and bring to a simmer.

  4. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the livers are barely pink inside, about 3 minutes.

  5. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

  6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor, leaving behind any liquid; process until coarsely pureed.

  7. With the machine on, add the butter, 1 oz at a time, until incorporated.

  8. Add the brandy, season with salt and pepper and process until completely smooth.

  9. Scrape the pâté into 2 or 3 large ramekins.

  10. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pâté and refrigerate until firm.

  11. The pâté can be covered with a thin layer of melted butter, then wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.

Pate Parfait

• • 2 tbsp canola oil or ghee

  • 1 lb chicken livers

  • 1 large shallot

  • 1 tsp garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • 1 fl oz port

  • 1 fl oz brandy

  • 1 lb butter (cut into 1/2 oz chunks)

  • 2 tsp coarse salt

  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• 1. Remove the membranes from the livers, wash and pat dry with a paper towel

  2. Heat a large saute pan with the oil over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke.

  3. Add livers and shallots, garlic and thyme - cook stirring vigorously for 4 minutes

  4. Pour in the brandy and port; flambe.

  5. Scrape the fond up from the bottom of the pan

  6. Cook the livers until medium-rare

  7. Immediately pour the hot mixture into a food processor and puree.

  8. As the processor runs, add the butter piece by piece to emulsify the mix and cool.

  9. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  10. Strain through a fine mesh filter into your mold.

  11. Cover and rest in the fridge for 24 hours before serving

Notes: comes out solid.