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Chicken Liver Pate

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

The cream in this recipe veers away from the more usual butter option, but cream helps 'soften' the liver flavour for those who are not great fans of offal. An old recipe, I got the original recipe from the TV using duck livers, which were more difficult to locate and a bit stronger in flavour for my taste. It was made with brandy, but I quite like the port option for a change. I love this recipe because it's quite relaxed as far as quantities go, but it always works for me.

The cream in this recipe veers away from the more usual butter option, but cream helps 'soften' the liver flavour for those who are not great fans of offal. An old recipe, I got the original recipe from the TV using duck livers, which were more difficult to locate and a bit stronger in flavour for my taste. It was made with brandy, but I quite like the port option for a change. I love this recipe because it's quite relaxed as far as quantities go, but it always works for me.

Ingredients

Serves: about 6

Metric Cups
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 shallots (chopped)
  • 1 rasher bacon (chopped)
  • 500 grams chicken liver (to make up about 300g once cleaned and trimmed)
  • 3 tablespoons brandy (or port)
  • 100 millilitres cream
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • clarified butter (optional - amount dependant on size of serving bowl)
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 shallots (chopped)
  • 1 rasher bacon (chopped)
  • 17⅔ ounces chicken liver (to make up about 300g once cleaned and trimmed)
  • 3 tablespoons brandy (or port)
  • 4 fluid ounces cream
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • clarified butter (optional - amount dependant on size of serving bowl)

Method

Chicken Liver Pate is a community recipe submitted by Coby and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

  • On a medium heat add oil and saute shallots and bacon until the shallots of softened but not browned.
  • Add the cleaned liver and cook until it just changes colour. Pour in the brandy or port, allow it to cook down before adding the cream.
  • Add salt, pepper and parsley and cook until liver is almost cooked through, it should only take a couple of minutes.
  • Place mixture into a food processor with the butter, process until smooth.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl, flattening the pate out before you cover with clarified butter or press clingfilm down onto pate to stop the top discolouring.
  • Keep in the fridge for 24 hours for flavours to develop before serving. Keeps for about a week.

  • On a medium heat add oil and saute shallots and bacon until the shallots of softened but not browned.
  • Add the cleaned liver and cook until it just changes colour. Pour in the brandy or port, allow it to cook down before adding the cream.
  • Add salt, pepper and parsley and cook until liver is almost cooked through, it should only take a couple of minutes.
  • Place mixture into a food processor with the butter, process until smooth.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl, flattening the pate out before you cover with clarified butter or press clingfilm down onto pate to stop the top discolouring.
  • Keep in the fridge for 24 hours for flavours to develop before serving. Keeps for about a week.

    • Additional Information

    If you are unsure of how cooked the liver is, just cut one in half to check. You don't want them cooked through, and remember they will keep cooking after the heat is turned off. Sometimes you can buy prepared livers which is rather handy. You can replace parsley with another fresh herb, or even try nutmeg instead. If there is one rule of working with chicken livers, it's to make sure you cut away any greenish stained parts of liver as it will make your pate horribly bitter.

    If you are unsure of how cooked the liver is, just cut one in half to check. You don't want them cooked through, and remember they will keep cooking after the heat is turned off. Sometimes you can buy prepared livers which is rather handy. You can replace parsley with another fresh herb, or even try nutmeg instead. If there is one rule of working with chicken livers, it's to make sure you cut away any greenish stained parts of liver as it will make your pate horribly bitter.

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    Tell us what you think

    What 3 Others have said

    • Been doing this recipe for over 7 years now and everyone says it the best pate they have ever tasted .

      Posted by Pib51 on 17th December 2022

    • Can this be frozen?

      Posted by paulinest30 on 30th August 2015

    • Easy to follow recipe and delicious, smooth pate. As recipe promised the pate is tasty but not overpwered by the liver. Had no shallots so used an onion.

      Posted by impy on 18th February 2014
    Show more comments
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