Diana’s Chicken Liver Paté with Mushroom and Brandy

Ingredients

  • 500 g fresh chicken livers trimmed of all white sinew
  • 2 slices of bacon (no rind) chopped
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of mixed herbs (lemon thyme, rosemary, parsley and a bay leaf)
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • ½ cup chopped mushrooms
  • 200 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of cultured cream (cream fraiche)
  • Clarified butter to seal tops
  • 3 tablespoons of brandy
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (1/2 teaspoon of the pepper)

Method

  1. In a heavy based frying pan melt 1/3 of the butter and fry the bacon, garlic, onion, mushroom and herbs. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
  2. Fry the livers, searing each side until the livers are just cooked then add back in the other ingredients and the brandy and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and transfer all of the mix to a blender along with the cultured cream and the remainder of the butter cut into cubes. Blend with salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
  4. Pour the mix into ramekins or moulds and smooth the top. Cover with clarified butter (ghee) to seal.
  5. Refrigerate and serve the next day with crusty bread or on crispbread. This will keep at least 3 weeks in the fridge.
  6. If you prefer the pate’ a bit firmer add in 1 melted gelatin leaf to the simmering mixture just prior to blending.
  7. You can make clarified butter by melting butter in the microwave or in the oven and then draining off the separated fat from the milk solids.