Name: Pate Pots recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 500 g chicken livers; 125 g butter; 2 garlic cloves; 1 onion diced; 2 bacon rashers diced; 1 sprig thyme fresh; 1 sprig sage fresh; 1 bay leaf; 3 tbs sherry; 1 tbs brandy; 1/2 cup pouring cream; 1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste; 60 g mushrooms; 1 tbs green peppercorns *optional; 3 tbs port

by DPwE Last updated on 07/09/2019

This is a favourite on the Christmas table, and this recipe can be doubled to have plenty on hand or as a gift idea. Every time I give this, it is always appreciated, especially because, even though most people love pâté, they never make it themselves, and they are always impressed that you have gone to so much trouble - DPwE

Ingredients

500 g chicken livers
125 g butter
2 garlic cloves
1 onion diced
2 bacon rashers diced
1 sprig thyme fresh
1 sprig sage fresh
1 bay leaf
3 tbs sherry
1 tbs brandy
1/2 cup pouring cream
1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste
60 g mushrooms
1 tbs green peppercorns *optional
3 tbs port

Method

Step 1

Cut any sinews off the livers then clean and dry them and cut into cubes if using large livers.
Step 2

Heat butter, while still foaming add the bacon, livers, onions, garlic, thyme, sage, bay leaf, salt & pepper and mushrooms (if using) and cook to just tender - around 5 minutes.
Step 3

Remove the bay leaf, then with a slotted spoon remove solid ingredients from pan and set aside.
Step 4

Return the pan to the heat. Add the port, sherry and brandy to the remaining juices in the pan scraping bottom & around the sides. Cook until alcohol has evaporated then add the cream, cook on high to reduce by half.
Step 5

Return liver mixture to reduced pan juices.
Step 6

With a stick mixer blend until smooth, OR put liver mixture and reduced liquor into the food processor and blend until smooth.
Step 7

Transfer into small pots or one large one cover and place in fridge.
Step 8

Serve in individual pots with crackers or slices of bread as an entrée, or in a large dipping bowl surrounded with crackers for a party.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

This is delicious with sour dough bread. You can use 500g of an livers - chicken, calves or pig, or mixture of all or some of them. Put into small pots and cover with clarified butter with a parsley sprig set into it, tie a nice ribbon around the pot and give away as a Christmas gift with a box of nice crackers. Pate must be kept in the fridge; it will keep for a week or two.