Duck Liver Pâté Recipes

DUCK LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Combine duck livers and milk in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate overnight to remove blood. Strain (discard liquid), then rinse livers and pat dry with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 150C. Combine shallot, Port and brandy in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until reduced to about 60ml (5-10 minutes).
• Meanwhile, heat 60gm butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add livers and fry, turning occasionally, until just cooked on the outside but still rare in the middle (2-2½ minutes). Transfer to a blender with remaining butter, Port reduction and shallot, blend until smooth and season well to taste. Add eggs and blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
• Pour liver mixture into a 7cm x 10cm x 23cm loaf tin or pâté dish, then cover with a piece of baking paper and 2 pieces of foil or a lid. Place in a deep roasting pan lined with a tea towel, pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of tin and bake until set at the edges, but a little wobbly in the middle (1-1¼ hours). Remove pâté dish from water bath and set aside to cool, then chill completely in the fridge (at least 6 hours or overnight).
• Meanwhile, for Port jelly, bring Port to the simmer in a small saucepan, squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to Port and stir to dissolve. Set aside to cool (around 1 hour), then carefully spoon on top of chilled pâté, season with cracked pepper and refrigerate again until set (around 2 hours). Serve pâté with crackers or toasts.

DUCK LIVER PâTé WITH ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• To make the pâté, take a medium-sized, heavy-based frying pan, melt about 25g of the butter in it and fry the duck livers over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Keep them on the move, turning them over quite frequently. Then remove them from the pan with a draining spoon and transfer them to a blender or food processor. Now, in the same pan, gently melt 150g of the remaining butter and add this to the blender or food processor. Then pour the Armagnac onto the juices left in the frying pan (to capture all the lovely flavours) and pour that over the livers. Now add the mustard, mace, thyme, garlic and some seasoning. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then blend until you have a smooth, velvety purée. Next, divide this between the ramekins (or pots) and use some damp kitchen towel to clean the edges. Then melt the remaining 50g of the butter, pour a little over each one to seal, press in a sprig of thyme and a juniper berry, and leave them to get quite cold. Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge till needed. Don't forget to remove from the fridge about an hour before serving as the pâté needs to be eaten at room temperature. This is good served with Spiced Pickled Prunes in Armagnac or Marmalade of Apples, Raisin & Shallots (see below).

DUCK LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• 1. Place duck fat in a skillet, and cook over medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fat has melted and some of it has browned.
• 2. Add the shallots, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the liver, herbes de Provence, and garlic, and cook over medium to high heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and pepper.
• 3. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the Cognac, and blend until liquefied. If a finer textured pâté is desired, push the mixture through the holes of a strainer with a spoon. This will yield 1/2 cup. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours, then cover and and refrigerate until serving time.
• 4. Spread the pâté on the toasted baguette slices, and serve. The pâté will keep, well covered, for 3 to 4 days.

DUCK LIVER PATE WITH CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the anchovies, capers and smashed garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the anchovies have dissolved.
• Add the duck livers, then turn up the heat and saute until the livers are halfway to three-quarters of the way done, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the brandy and cook until the brandy has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. (It should still be pretty soupy.)
• Transfer everything to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with a little salt, if needed, and loosen with a little olive oil if needed.
• Brush the tops of the baguette slices with olive oil. Bake on a sheet tray until golden, about 6 minutes. Rub toasted baguette with a clove of garlic, then schmear each toast with the pate.

VELVETY DUCK LIVER PARFAIT

Steps:

• Cut away and discard any large sinews from the livers, then set the livers aside. Heat about a third of the butter in a large frying pan, then gently fry the shallots and garlic for 3-4 mins unti l soft. Turn up the heat, add the livers, then fry until just browned on all sides. Add the brandy and port, boil down as quickly as possible - if the sauce catches light for an instant, then all the better. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Season the livers generously, then tip the contents of the pan into a food processor with the tomato purée and remaining butter, and blitz until smooth. Push the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, taste for seasoning, then tip into a serving dish, banging the dish down on the tabletop to smooth out the surface. Place in the fridge to set.
• Once the mixture has set, make the topping. Gently melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave, then leave for a min to settle and separate. Pour the yellow butter that has risen to the top into another bowl and discard the milky liquid. Leave the yellow butter to cool slightly, then mix in the thyme and peppercorns. Pour the mixture over the parfait and leave to set in the fridge. Serve with plenty of toast, sliced gherkins and chutney. Will keep for 2 days in the fridge.