Chicken liver pâté is an elegant yet fuss-free dinner party starter and can be made up to two days in advance. It is one of my favourite starters/appetisers to serve on special occasions, especially when I want to spoil my dinner guests. This classic French dish is luxury without being expensive and it doesn’t require much time and effort. I usually serve this soft and buttery pâté with brioche bread and my home made red onion marmalade. Although it doesn’t look very appetizing, this French classic is full of flavor! And did I say its very easy to make it?
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Chicken liver pâté is a very rich dish and goes a long way. If you end up with some leftovers after your dinner party, don’t worry! You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. It would keep even longer – up to a week- if you cover the top of the pate with some melted butter. Alternatively, you can wrap them tightly with cling film and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Make Chicken Liver pâté ?
Making the chicken liver pâté is very straightforward and there are few easy steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results:
- Trim the fat and stringy sinews of the livers – Although it’s a bit fiddly task, this step is necessary to achieve a smooth pâté and it totally worth the effort.
- Use high heat to cook the chicken livers – We want quick browning of the chicken livers on the outside while still pink inside, without overcooking them. The main reason to have grainy pate is overcooked chicken livers.
- Use soft butter – When blitzing the pâté mixture in blender, make sure the butter is soft but not melted.
- Serve your chicken liver pâté at room temperature – This smooth and delicious pâté tastes much better at room temperature and it is much easier to spread it on your bread.
Step by step instructions for smooth Chicken Liver Pate :
- Trim the fat and the stringy sinews of the chicken livers and pat dry.
- Fry the shallots with butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until soft and brown, turn the heat up to high before adding chicken livers. Cook them for few minutes until all sides are brown but still pink inside.
- Add garlic, thyme, capers and the seasoning, cook for another minute then add the brandy carefully. Brandy is very flammable especially when cooking on a gas hob so take extra care when glazing the pan. Cook the brandy until syrup consistency and take the pan off the heat.
- Let the mixture cool down for 10 minutes then pour into a food processor. Give it a quick blitz to combine, then add the rest of the soft butter and double cream. Blitz for a few minutes until smooth.
- Line a terrine dish with cling film and transfer the pate mixture in. Alternatively you can divide the mixture into small ramekins. Let the pâté set in the fridge for few hours or ideally overnight.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this smooth and delicious Chicken Liver Pate as much as you enjoy eating it ! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Chicken Liver Pâté
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken liver
- 90 grams unsalted butter (30 grams and 60 grams separated / at room temperature)
- 1 shallot (medium size, chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 sprigs thyme (only the leaves)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 60 ml brandy
- 60 ml double cream
- 1 TSP salt
- ½ TSP freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Trim the fat and the stringy sinews of the chicken livers and pat dry.
- Put 30 grams of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add shallots and cook for a few minutes until soft and brown.
- Add chicken livers and cook for a few minutes until they brown the outside but still pink inside.
- Add the garlic, thyme, capers and the seasoning, cook for another minute.
- Add the brandy carefully as it can flame up especially when using gas cooker.
- Cook the brandy until syrup consistency and take the pan off the heat, let it cool down for 10 minutes.
- Put them in a food processor when cooled down and blitz for a few seconds to combine.
- Add the rest of the soft butter and double cream, blitz for a few minutes until smooth.
- Spoon the pâté mixture in ramekins or in a terrine dish lined up with cling film.
- Let the pâté set in the fridge for a few hours, ideally overnight.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
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