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1 tbspoon olive oil
2 shallots + 1 garlic clove
3 sprigs thyme, dash of grated nutmeg
1/2 tspoon all spice, 1 orange, zest only
sea salt & ground black pepper
400g chicken livers
100ml double cream + 120g butter
optional: 50ml brandy
Finish: 80g butter; 1/2 orange; pinch mace; 2 sprigs thyme
This luxurious chicken liver patée is served as a starter at Sophie Wright's Christmas dinner. We like to eat it for lunch or brunch on a lazy Sunday. As far as we are concerned it always tastes great!
How to make the chicken liver patée
Grate the skin of a clean scrubbed orange.
Fry the shallots and the thyme 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the zest and all the spices and cook them in 2 min. fragant.
Add the chicken livers and fry them a touch of pink.
Fry the garlic as well (almost forgotten!).
Liver may be light pink but never bloody!
Spoon everything into a food processor.
Blend it nice and smooth.
Add the brandy to deglaze the pan and add the cream.
Pour the cream after cooking for 2 minutes in the blender.
Blend the patée soft and smooth again.
Finally add the butter in cubes and blend.
Spoon the patée in ramekins, cover with cling film.
Let the patée stiffen for half an hour.
While the patée stiffens in the fridge we make the butter finish. Zest the 1/2 orange and pick off the thyme leaves from the twigs.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan.
Stir in the mace.
Pour the butter on the patée.
Sprinkle zest and thyme on top.
Place the ramekins with the patée for an hour in the fridge, covered with cling film
Cut the patée loose all around and scoop it up gently.
Serve the patée with soda bread and cornichon pickles.