Chicken Liver Pate With Cranberries And Pistachios Recipes

CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH CRANBERRIES AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Saute bacon, onion and garlic over medium heat until bacon begins to get crispy, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and stir. Push mixture to edges of pan, freeing the center for the livers. Add the livers and cook over med-high heat until browned on all sides, 3-4 min. Sprinkle with sherry, reduce the heat and steam livers until just cooked through, 8-10 minutes. (Should be just a bit pink at center.) Remove from heat, add 1 tsp salt and pepper. Cut the cream cheese into large chunks and place in food processor. Spoon in the warm livers with any pan juices, scraping up and adding bits clinging to the pan. Add the cranberries, pistachios and parsley. Pulse five or six times, just enough to mix and coarsely chop. Stir and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Keeps for a week in the fridge.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH SOUR CHERRIES AND SAGE TOAST

Steps:

• To make the pâté:.
• In a small, covered bowl, soak the cherries in the brandy overnight at room temperature.
• Then drain cherries, pressing out brandy, and reserve cherries and brandy separately.
• In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted.
• Add the onions and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, and then add the livers.
• Sprinkle with salt, allspice and pepper.
• Cook about 2 minutes, turning livers as needed.
• Add reserved brandy and increase heat to high.
• Cook until livers are just done, and brandy/juice has cooked down until pan is almost dry, about 1½ to 2 minutes.
• Immediately remove from heat and place mixture in a food processor.
• Process until smooth, then add reserved cherries (and nuts) and pulse just enough to mix - not to chop them.
• Pack pâté in a 2-cup crock or pâté mold.
• Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill pâté at least 4 hours, can be prepared up to 3 days before serving.
• Serve with Sage Toast.
• To make Sage Toast:.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and sage in a very small pan until just warmed.
• Remove from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to infuse sage flavour.
• Lay out baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush slices with the oil.
• Sprinkle with salt and bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp.

CHICKEN LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• Thinly slice onion. In a small saucepan combine onion, chicken livers, broth, and allspice and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, or until chicken livers are cooked through. Drain liver mixture in a sieve and in a food processor purée with butter, Cognac, and salt until smooth. To facilitate cooling, transfer pâté to a plate and spread. Chill pâté in freezer, its surface covered with plastic wrap, 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl whisk cream until it holds stiff peaks and fold in pâté. Transfer pâté to a ramekin and chill in freezer, covered, 15 minutes.
• Serve pâté with crackers or toasts.

DUCK & PORK TERRINE WITH CRANBERRIES & PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the duck breasts and skin in a shallow dish, then place in the hot oven for 20 mins. Discard the shrivelled bit of skin that remains, then pour the duck fat into a bowl to cool. Reserve 6 bacon rashers, then roughly chop the remainder. Roughly chop the cooked duck meat.
• In a food processor, blend the chopped bacon, pork and duck in batches to a coarse texture, then tip into a large bowl. Tear up the bread and soak in the milk for 5 mins. Squeeze out the bread and put in the food processor with the shallots, garlic and livers. Process to a coarse texture, then add to the bowl, mixing well.
• Grind the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cloves to a coarse powder using a pestle and mortar. Stir in the cinnamon. Add the spices to the meat along with 4 tbsp reserved duck fat, the Cognac, eggs and 2 tsp salt. Mix together very thoroughly - the best way is to use your hands.
• Press half the mixture into a 1.5-litre baking dish or similar. Scatter over the pistachios and cranberries, then cover with the remaining meat mixture. Arrange the reserved bacon rashers over the top, tucking in the ends. Cover the dish tightly with foil, then put in a roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
• Bake for 2 hrs, remove foil, then bake for 15 mins more to brown the top. Cool completely, then wrap in fresh foil and chill. For the best flavour, let the terrine chill and mature for at least 2 days before eating.
• TO FREEZE Make the terrine as stated, cool and then freeze. Defrost in the fridge before serving.

CHICKEN LIVER & RAISIN PâTé

Steps:

• A day ahead, put the raisins in a small bowl, pour over enough brandy to cover, then leave to soak for 1 hr. Pour the wine and port into a small, deep saucepan, tip in the shallots and garlic, then simmer until reduced by two-thirds - about 10 mins. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve, pressing to extract all the juices. Allow to cool. Melt the 200g butter, then leave to cool slightly.
• In a food processor, blend the chicken livers until smooth, then add the wine reduction followed by the eggs, the cooled melted butter, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Pass through a fine sieve into a jug, stir in the nuts, then set aside. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Drain the raisins, then divide them between 6 x 125ml ramekins. Pour the chicken liver mixture over, leaving a small space at the top of each one. Stand the ramekins in a small roasting tin (or similar ovenproof dish with sides to make a bain-marie) then pour in enough hot water to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 mins. To check when cooked, push a fine knife blade into the centre and, if it comes out hot and clean, the pâté is ready. If not, continue to cook, but don't overcook or let them soufflé up or the texture of the pâté will be grainy.
• Remove from the bain-marie, then pour a thin layer of clarified butter over each dish to seal. Scatter over a few extra raisins and pistachios to garnish as the butter is setting. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• To serve, put each ramekin on a plate with toasted walnut bread and a few dressed salad leaves.