• This pâté is best enjoyed when made two days in advance – the flavour will be fully developed and absolutely amazing!

    Recipe by Santi Louzán
    Photograph by Bruce Tuck

    Chicken-liver pâté

    Serves: 10
    Cooking Time: 1 hr + overnight, to set

    Ingredients

    • 500ml (2 cups) full-cream milk
    • 500ml (2 cups) water
    • 4 tsp salt + extra, to taste
    • 400g free-range/organic chicken livers, cleaned
    • olive oil, to sauté
    • 60g shallots/onion, peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
    • leaves of 2 fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped
    • 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
    • 100ml dry fortified wine
    • 25ml whisky
    • 400g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
    • wafer shards, to serve
    • basil pesto, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Combine the milk, water and salt in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken livers and set aside to soak, about 1 hour. Drain and rinse the livers well. Set aside until needed.

    2

    Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the shallots/onion and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the chicken livers. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, then fry until browned, 5 – 10 minutes, then add the dry fortified wine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Add the whisky and simmer until the alcohol is cooked off, about another minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

    3

    Transfer the contents of the frying pan to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

    4

    Spoon the mixture into a 23 x 9cm terrine dish. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

    5

    Meanwhile, beat the warm butter and lard together until well combined. Spread a thin layer over the terrine using an offset palette knife. Refrigerate overnight, to set.

    6

    To serve, spoon dollops of the pate onto serving plates. Top with shards of wafer. Enjoy with a spoonful of basil pesto alongside.

    Avatar
    Author