Simple chicken liver pâté made with Louisiana French flavors, wine, and brandy make an excellent and easy starter to serve on crackers at your holiday parties, or to present as hostess gifts.
Easy Chicken Liver Pâté
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
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This week for Sunday Supper the interest is all about “Make-Ahead Dinner Party Recipes” with the holiday season in full gear and parties everywhere. Certainly making foods ahead is a plus, as nobody really wants to be cooking at the last minute.
This chicken liver pâté is quickly and easily made ahead, and the longer it sits, the better, as the flavors tend to mellow out as you do so. I put mine in small hinged canning jars with rubber seals, and put a thin layer of butter over the top to keep the color nice. Since the spread, if it oxidizes in the air can be a little bit like guacamole in trying to turn dark, although not quite as heinous as what happens with avocados.
I imagine this kind of food was one of the earlier kinds of meats preserved that was not dried, putting up the store of meats in pots and placing them in cellars. Hence, the idea of “potted meat”. These tend to be made with much fat and alcohol as a preservation method, although modern versions not nearly as much. I imagine the earliest versions would have enough brandy to be shocking to our present day palates.
Besides having meats potted as pate, it can also be made into things like braunschweiger or liverwurst. There is a bit of similarity in the flavor, although not perfectly identical. But they are in the same family. So keep it in mind when deciding who and where to serve this. When I was young I found the flavor of braunschweiger revolting (although my brother adored it, as well as my Dad). It is a bit of an acquired taste and nowadays I love it, especially with mustard, lots of onion, and cheese.
There are going to be fans and there will be haters. So don’t be shy about serving it- just make sure there is something for those who aren’t on board with it. And those who love this (as I do) will willingly make short work of what you have prepared.
Have a blessed holiday if you don’t see me posting again this week. I have planned to take most of it off to enjoy the season. But I may manage to put something up- I know some are still hoping for my recipe for Candied Ginger Shortbread which had been postponed because I hadn’t got the post written up. And Thursday I am hoping to post with Bundt Bakers with a recipe for Italian Cream Bundt Cake. And next Sunday I will be posting my recipe for New Year’s celebrations by sharing Burrata Salad with Blood Orange, Pistachio, and Pomegranate.
Easy Chicken Liver Pâté
Yield: 2 half pint jars
Allow extra time for pâté to chill and firm up
Ingredients:
- 20 ounces fresh chicken livers, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- toasted baguette or crackers for serving
- extra melted butter for sealing the pate
Method:
- Rinse chicken livers of carton blood and let drain.
- Heat butter in a skillet and add the shallots and garlic; cook 5 minutes or so or until shallots soften.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, Cajun spice, salt, pepper, sugar and thyme with the chicken livers and cook for 5-7 minutes or until livers are firm and only lightly pink inside.
- Remove livers to a bowl and let cool down some.
- Add the wine and brandy to the pan and reduce to about 3 tablespoonfuls.
- Add reduced liquor to livers.
- When livers have cooled enough to puree, add them to a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Place pâté in covered containers “sealing” the top of the pate with melted butter (to prevent minor discoloration) and refrigerate until firm and chilled, preferably overnight. The amount of extra butter needed depends, depending on how many containers you use to pack it up.
- Serve pate with toasted baguette or crackers, as desired. I also added cheese (you can add whatever you want- cheese, onion, olives, or just plain).
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com
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The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.
Your mention of braunschweiger reminds me of my dad—one of his favorites. It was both my parents that helped expose me to dishes like chicken pate—I might have avoided trying it as an adult, but thankfully, I loved it as a child and still to this day. Such a lovely addition to a holiday entertaining menu!
I like your take on the pate. When I worked in a deli, it was hard cooked eggs, onions and oil added.
The Jewish type has the eggs. This is more French, albeit Louisiana French (Cajun).
Interesting recipe, not the type of food I usually make, but I guess I could give it a try =)