Charcuterie Chicken Liver Pate Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse the livers and pat dry.
• Cover with the Port, and chill for 2 hours.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet.
• Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook over medium low heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Remove the livers from the Port (reserve the Port) and add to the skillet. Continue to cook, without browning, until the livers just start to change color, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the Port and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Place the liver mixture in a blender, and puree until smooth.
• Add 3 more tablespoons of butter, and puree again until smooth.
• Add the cream, and pulse until it is incorporated.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon into a 3 cup container (terrine, loaf pan, mason jar) and smooth the surface of the pate.
• Chill for 1 hour, until it just starts to firm up.
• Melt the remaining butter, and pour over the top of the pate, covering it completely.
• Refrigerate overnight or up to a week.
• Serve on toasted baguette slices or other crusty bread.

Steps:

• Soak livers in milk for at least 2 hours and drain well.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
• Add onions and cook until soft (about 3 minutes).
• Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
• Add livers, 1 tablespoons peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, salt & pepper.
• Cook stirring until livers are brown on outside and pink inside (about 5 minutes).
• Add cognac and cook until most of the liquid is gone.
• Cool.
• Discard bay leaves.
• In food processor puree liver mixture.
• Add remaining butter in pieces and pulsing to blend.
• Fold in remaining tablespoon of green peppercorns and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Pack in ramekins, cover and vacuum seal.
• Refrigerate or freeze.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion and chicken livers. Reduce heat to low, and simmer approximately 10 minutes, until chicken livers are tender and no longer pink.
• Place chicken liver mixture in a blender with dry sherry, cream cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Melt butter and gently fry the chopped onion and chicken livers until softened and just cooked.
• Spoon into blender.
• Add herbs and seasoning and blend well.
• Add the Apricot brandy to give a smooth and creamy texture.
• Pour into suitable dishes (about 3-4 small bowls).
• Smooth the top of pate in each bowl.
• Gently press a bay leaf into the surface of each.
• Top each bowl of pate with a little melted butter to prevent the air from discolouring.
• Chill.
• Serve garnished with parsley.

Steps:

• Put the onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Transfer to a large bowl and add the pork fatback, chicken livers, ground pork and beef, eggs, Cognac, pepper, salt, and five-spice powder. Mix well with a rubber spatula.
• Working in batches, grind the ingredients in the food processor to a fine, smooth, light tan mixture, transferring each batch to another bowl as it is ready. Each batch will take a few minutes, and you will have to pause occasionally to scrape down the sides. When all the ingredients have been ground, beat them with the spatula to blend well. If you want to check the seasoning, sauté a spoonful in a little skillet until it is well done, let cool, taste, and then correct if necessary.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil and lower the heat to keep it hot.
• Butter a 6-cup loaf pan. Pour in the pâté mixture and smooth the top with the spatula. Bang the pan on the countertop or table to remove air bubbles. Center the bay leaves on top of the paté. Butter a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the top of the pâté and place it, buttered side down, over the paté. Then cover the pâté with aluminum foil, allowing a 1-inch overhang. Place the loaf pan in a baking or roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake the paté for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature registers about 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove the baking pan from the oven and set the paté aside to cool for 1 hour. Place a twin pan (or board) and a 5-pound weight, such as a brick or a few food cans, directly on top of the paté; this compacts it and creates a smooth texture. When the paté is completely cool, remove the weight. Refrigerate it and let it mature for 1 or 2 days.
• To serve, unmold the cold pâté, removing and discarding the foil and parchment paper. Cut the pâté into thin slices or a thick slab. Blot away the juices with paper towels and then lay the slices or slab on a serving plate. Let the paté come to room temperature before serving. You can include it in a Western-style charcuterie spread, or use it in your next Vietnamese baguette sandwich. The paté keeps well in the refrigerator for 10 days. I advise against freezing it, however, as it turns soggy.
• FINDING FATBACK
• Pork fatback is an old-fashioned cooking fat that can be difficult to find. Your best bet is to go to a market that caters to a porkloving clientele, such as an Asian or Mexican market. The fatback may not be in the meat case, but just ask the butcher for it. At my local Mexican market, the butcher is always tickled by my request for grasa (fat). He proudly emerges from the cooler with a thick piece with the cuero (skin) still attached.
• To ensure that I have a supply if fatback on hand, I buy a pound or two. I set aside the portion I am using immediately and then I divide the remaining fat into pieces the size of a deck of playing cards (about two ounces), wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze them all in a zip-top plastic bag. Fatback will keep in the freezer for up to nine months. Before using or freezing fatback, remove any skin, if necessary. A little meat attached is fine.

Steps:

• Clean the chicken livers carefully, cutting away any green or brown spots, then wash them quickly under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Now cut them in half.
• In a large heavy frying pan, melt the first 3 T butter. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and soft and lightly colored.
• Mix in the chopped apple and cook 3 or 4 minutes longer. When soft enough to mash with a spoon, transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
• In the same pan, melt the second 3 T butter, this time over rather high heat. As the butter foam subsides, add the livers. Over high heat, turn them in the sputtering butter with a wooden spoon for about 3 or 4 minutes. When the livers are quite brown on the outside and still pink within.
• Now add the livers and all their juices to the onion-apple mixture. Moisten with 2 T cream and process. Add more cream if necessary. Process until very smooth.
• Cream the remaining 10 T of butter. When creamed, beat the cool liver paste, little by little into the butter. Stir in the teaspoon of lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Don't be sparing with the salt, since chilling deadens flavor, the pate will be surprisingly less salty than you thought.
• Pack the pate into small terrines or any attravtive quart-size container. Smooth the top witha spatula and pour over it enough clarified butter to cover it completely. This will not only prevent the pate from changing color as it chills, but will make an almost airtight covering that lessens the possibility of spoilage. (If you do not use the clarified butter, cover the crocks with plastic wrap.) Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• May be frozen.

Steps:

• Place currants in a small bowl; cover with orange liqueur. Let soak until plump, about 1 hour.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot butter until softened, about 1 minute. Add chicken livers; cook and stir until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Place remaining 3/4 cup butter, chicken liver mixture, heavy cream, thyme, and allspice in a food processor; blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in currants and orange liqueur. Season pate with salt and pepper.
• Divide pate among small ramekins. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

Steps:

• Combine milk, cognac, and morel mushrooms in a bowl; soak for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a terrine mold.
• Combine chicken livers, ham, and garlic in a food processor. Process until mixture is smooth and well combined. Add ground pork, egg, pepper, and salt. Process again until smooth and well combined.
• Drain morel mushrooms and and chop; stir mushrooms into the meat mixture. Tip pate mixture into the prepared terrine mould. Smooth out mixture with the back of a spoon and gently press bay leaf on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pate has set, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving

Steps:

• In a bowl, let livers soak in milk, covered and chilled, overnight; drain and puree until smooth.
• Force through a fine sieve into a bowl.
• In a deep saucepan, combine shallots, garlic, thyme, Madeira, Port and brandy.
• Cook over high heat until reduced to about 1/3 cup; let cool.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Butter an 11 x 3 x 2 inch loaf pan.
• Whisk eggs and yolks into liver puree and whisk in shallot mixture, clarified butter and season to taste.
• Turn into a prepared pan, cover with a double layer of foil, set in a larger pan of hot water and bake for 1 hour.
• Remove from water, let cool completely, chill overnight.
• Run a knife around edge of pan and unmold onto a platter lined with parsley.
• Serve with an interesting variety of crackers, toast points and black bread.

Steps:

• Wash the chicken livers and remove any excess white or yellow membrane. Wash again. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the chicken livers and mix thoroughly.
• Pour enough milk over the livers to cover. Refrigerate overnight. (Note: Soaking the chicken livers overnight in milk reduces the strength of liver flavor. I recommend to include this step.).
• The next day, rinse the livers and chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.
• Saute one small diced onion and six cloves of garlic. Don't worry if they aren't too uniform as everything gets pureed anyway.
• When the onions have slightly softened, add the chopped livers and 1/2 cup white wine OR 1 tablespoon cognac.
• Saute until cooked and continue simmering for another 5 minutes or so until liquid reduces. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Set mixture aside to slightly cool.
• After alowing the mixture to cool a bit then puree in a food processor along with one stick (8 tablespoons) of butter. The heat of the warm mix will melt the butter and allow easy incorporation. Process until smooth. Pour mixture into ramekins lightly coated with butter.
• Add just enough butter to coat the top of each container to prevent drying of the surface of the pate. Note: it is best to melt the butter at its lowest possible temperature, this will prevent re-liquefying of the pate and then pour this on as a thin layer on top of the pate in the dishes. Store refrigerated.
• IMPORTANT NOTES: Regular butter to seal the Pate will need to be brought to room temperature to allow the butter seal to be spreadable. For food safety, the Pate must not be unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours in total time after cooking. This means if it is brought out of the fridge for use then returned, It is only safe for a total sum of two hours out of the fridge. If it's during hot weather or a very warm room {more than 90F}, then this time must be reduced to one hour. It is best to cut off a segment and place it on a serving dish returning the sealed unused portion immediately to the refrigerator to eliminated the doubt. The pate will keep in the fridge for five days. It may be stored frozen for 1 month. Make sure that the pate is covered if returned to the fridge after the butter seal has been cut.
• ONE MORE NOTE: After cooking, liver tends to turn a pasty gray and ashen color which is quite unappealing. Add a few drops of red food coloring for aesthetics, if desired.

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onions in half of the olive oil until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove half of the onions from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil and continue cooking over high heat until the onions are crispy and golden brown; add more olive oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper and set aside for garnish.
• In a small pot of salted simmering water, poach the chicken livers for 5 minutes on low heat. Drain on paper towels.
• In a food processor, puree the livers with the carrots, 2 hard-boiled eggs and the caramelized onions until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add nutmeg. Push through a fine mesh sieve if desired.
• Pack the mousse into a serving dish and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Garnish with the crispy onions and grate the remaining 2 hard-boiled eggs right before serving. Serve with bread, toasts or crackers.

Steps:

• Line a bread loaf pan with plastic wrap. line bottom of pan with cracked pistachios.
• Fry Chicken Liver with Shallots and Thyme in 1/2 stick of butter until almost cooked. Add in Garlic. Cook until Liver is no longer pink. Remove from heat. Add Cognac/Brandy and let cook down. Add Nutmeg and 1 cube soft butter. Let butter melt down a bit. Add mixture to food processor and puree until smooth. Mix in a handful of whole, cracked pistachios. Add to loaf pan, cover and refrigerate until firm. Serve on top of toasted Crostini.

Steps:

• Combine chicken livers and milk in a bowl. Let soak in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove chicken livers from the milk with a slotted spoon; add to the saucepan with balsamic vinegar and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken livers are tender and no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer chicken liver mixture to a food processor. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns and Scotch; blend until smooth. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and pulse until fully incorporated into the mixture.
• Divide blended mixture evenly among 6 porcelain ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours.