Chicken Liver Pate
In a photo album 20 years old full of recipe clippings from Pru Leith, Sainsbury’s magazines and my time at Bordeaux Quay cookery school sits this classic recipe from 2007.
I kid you not it is scribbled on the back of a sheet of NHS instructions for how to give a ‘sample’…..(now that made me smile last night when I unfolded the sheet!) It was copied down from a Christmas cookery programme as it seemed very simple and wanted to give it a try.
Before Kids (yes the tests came back fine!!) this was always on our Christmas menu, but as you know these little things get lost along the way when there are other things to do. But in the last couple of years it has reappeared and always gets the thumbs up whether it appears on Xmas day, impromptu friends visit or as a New Years Eve starter.
I serve it simply with melba style toast…basically a piece of brown bread half toasted, then taken out sliced in half and re-toasted, being careful not to burn it! Its a job for one person with a glass of something fizzy and to not move from the toaster. It’s great with an onion marmalade too, I find shop bought from a deli, or this year we have a specially selected one from Aldi.
If you don’t have any Marsala, forget the fuss and use Port or Madeira as an alternative! This recipe is easily doubled to make party sizes. Merry Christmas!
Not going to blog until next Friday now, but feel free to join me in posting up any Christmas delights you are proud of and say hi! The Fuss Free Foodie FB group
Chicken Liver Pate with Marsala
Serves 4-8
50g butter, melted (30g extra, melted)
150g Chicken livers, left whole, trimmed of any sinew
4 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped finely
75ml Marsala (or alternative)
1 onion, coarsely grated
15g thyme leaves pulled off the tough stalk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg or pepper
1. Put the chicken livers, garlic, marsala, onion, thyme, salt, pepper or nutmeg in a frying pan.
2. Simmer on a gentle heat for 4-5 minutes, until the livers are slightly pink in the middle.
2. Take the pan off the heat straight away and cool over iced water to stop the cooking process.
3. Put in a food processor with the melted butter. Pulse until smooth. Spoon into molds. Set in the fridge.
4. Melt the extra butter. Scoop off the white milk and leave the clarified butter behind. Tilt your pot and gently pour on the butter and leave to set. Put a piece of thyme in the butter to set for decoration!
Fuss free and TASTY!!