You won't believe the flavor pay back on this simple Brandied Chicken Liver Patè. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and it is a stand out appetizer.
There are lots of different patés available in the supermarket. Many of them are pork based and I am quite happy to have them in a pinch. I have to admit that this recipe is so much more flavorful that I usually have some in my freezer. It is a bit nicer when it is fresh made but it does freeze well and defrost well. If you tasted the fresh beside the frozen the fresh would win out by a slight edge. But the frozen still outstrips the commercial patés in my books!
I have experimented with this by adding more cracked pepper, more garlic and white wine instead of brandy but they just don't live up to the original recipe.
The lovely container it is in has a bit of a story behind it. My sister-in-law brought it to me one Thanksgiving filled with her (ok OUR) favorite paté from the Retro Bistro outside of Chicago. I hope the refill does justice to the original!
Serve this with white baguette slices or plain crackers. You don't want a lot of spices or flavors from the cracker to compete with the paté.
Whatever wine you are having for your Cinq à sept will go beautifully with this appetizer! (Cinq à sept literally means 5 to 7 and refers to a social gathering after work and before the dinner hour).
Brandied Chicken Liver Paté
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken livers
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¾ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon brandy
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch allspice
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 4 slices cornichon optional
Instructions
- Trim any fat or sinew from the the chicken livers.
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
- Add the chicken livers, brandy, salt, pepper and allspice. Cook 7-9 minutes until they are cooked but centers are still pink. Do NOT overcook.
- Allow to cool about 10 minutes then purée in a food processor with the mayonnaise until smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl. Garnish with slices or cornichon (French baby dill pickles) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Serve with baguette slices or plain crackers.
- You can make this paté a day or 2 ahead and store in the fridge. You can freeze it well sealed up to 3 months ahead but it will lose a bit of brightness of flavour compared to served fresh.
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