Chicken Liver Pâté

, from Issue #84. May, 2019
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Chicken Liver Pâté

Serve this pâté with crusty baguette or baked crostini and the Apricot Relish.

INGREDIENTS

100 grams butter, at room temperature
500 grams fresh chicken livers, cleaned and sinew trimmed
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon each freshly grated nutmeg and ground allspice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs for serving
¼ cup brandy, Madeira or port
⅓ cup cream
sea salt and ground pepper
To serve
Apricot and Yellow Mustard Seed Relish (below)
Apricot and Yellow Mustard Seed Relish
2 cups (400 grams) dried apricots, halved
1 brown onion, finely chopped
¾ cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
¼ cup raw sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup golden sultanas or raisins
2 small bay leaves

METHOD

Melt half of the butter in a sauté pan and cook the livers over a low heat until firm on the outside but still pink in the middle. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Don’t wash the pan. Add the onion, garlic, spices and thyme to the reserved pan and cook until the onions are very soft.

Increase the heat and pour in the alcohol, letting it bubble up for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat and let the onion mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Tip the contents of the pan into a food processor. Add the livers and the remaining butter and blend until smooth. Add the cream, season generously and pulse to combine.

Spoon into a serving dish or dishes. Top with a sprig of thyme then cover with clingfilm or a lid. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 2 cups


Apricot and Yellow Mustard Seed Relish: Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking on the base of the saucepan.

Cool then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature. Makes 2½ cups