Ingredients
- 225g fresh organic chicken livers
- 200-300g butter, cubed
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- Freshly ground pepper
- 225g clarified butter, to seal the top
- Melba toast or white bread, to serve
Directions
- Wash the livers in cold water and remove any membrane or green-tinged bits. Dry on kitchen paper.
- Melt a little butter in a frying pan; when the butter begins to foam, add in the livers and cook over a gentle heat. Be careful not to overcook them or the outsides will get crusty; all trace of pink should be gone.
- Add the crushed garlic and thyme leaves to the pan, stir and then de-glaze the pan with brandy, allow to flame or reduce for two to three minutes.
- Scrape everything with a spatula into a food processor. Purée for a few seconds. Allow to cool.
- Add about 225g butter. Purée until smooth. Season carefully, taste and add more butter, if necessary.
- Put into individual pots or one large terrine. Tap on the worktop to knock out any air bubbles.
- Clarify the butter by gently heating it in a saucepan. Allow to stand for a few minutes. Spoon the white layer of salt particles off the top and discard. The clear liquid butter is the clarified butter. Spoon a little over the top of the pâté to seal. Discard the milky liquid.
- Serve with melba toast or hot white bread. This will keep for four or five days in a fridge. It is essential to cover the pâté with a layer of clarified or even just melted butter, otherwise it will oxidise and become bitter in taste and grey in colour
Tips
Use duck livers instead of chicken for a richer flavor. You may need to increase the amount of butter used.
