Chicken Liver Paté With Port Wine and Pistachios
photo by K9 Owned
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Yields:
-
1 3/4 cup
ingredients
- 100 ml dry white wine (just under 1/2 cup)
- 100 ml brandy (or cognac or whisky, just under 1/2 cup)
- 100 ml port wine, good quality (just under 1/2 cup)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (I used a handful of sprigs, or use 1 Tbsp dried)
- 500 g chicken livers (just over 1 lb, about 1 lb 2 oz)
- 4 -6 tablespoons butter
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper, black, coarse
- 100 g pistachio nuts (This is 3 1/2 oz. Use any other nut specified)
directions
- Put the white wine, brandy and HALF the port (50 ml) in a small pot with the onion, garlic and thyme. This will be about 1 cup liquid.
- Simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup or just over. (It can be hard to judge this, especially with the onion bits in it. Just tilt the pot, and take a guess!).
- During that time, melt the butter -- be generous; the usual cream is not added to this recipe. You need enough butter so you have butter left in the pan when the livers are done.
- Fry the cleaned chicken livers over fairly high heat in the butter, until they are just pink on the inside. Do not overcook -- cut a few open to see degree of done-ness. This will take about 10 minutes, and stir often.
- Put the chicken livers in a processor with ALL of the butter left in the pan, and then add the boiled-down liquor. If you used thyme sprigs like I did, you'll need to pick out the sprigs first.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Whizz the livers. At this stage you'll need the extra port. Chuck it in, and whizz until you have a quite soft spread, too soft to use at this stage. (It will firm up in the fridge).
- And this is where I am not sure of how much port I used extra! The 50 ml should be enough to make the liver spread reach an almost runny consistency, but if not, add more. Taste -- I used flaky sea salt and have no idea how much was needed.
- When the liver spread is velvety smooth, scrape out into a bowl, and fork in the nuts. Cover, cool, and then leave in fridge to firm up.
- The spread develops great flavour over the next day. Can be kept and used for up to a week.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
Not enough people cook with chicken livers. They're inexpensive and delicious, full of nutrients and taste. The liquers truly make this recipe. The pistachios are a great addition as well though I prefer them dusted on the outside to preserve the smooth interior. Call this pate and serve it over the holidays to convert your friends to liver. Wonderful!
-
This is the first pate I have ever made and I could not have chosen a better recipe! I reduced it by half as I am the only one in the house who likes pate but today my mother came for a visit. We sat down with some wine, a loaf of bread and some cornichons and polished off 2/3rd of it. Absolutely delicious!<br/>Made in memory of Gideon.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Zurie
South Africa
I'm a widow, retired, and I love cooking. I live on the coast in South Africa and I love seafood. You're welcome to my recipes (all kinds, definitely not just seafood!) Just remember that no recipe is ever cast in stone -- adjust to your taste!
The photo was taken at a rustic seaside restaurant on our West Coast, approx 1 year ago (2016).