French Liver Pate Recipes

LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• Grind the pork: Grind the pork through a meat grinder several times on a fine setting.
• Process diced livers, cognac, Madeira, garlic, parsley, shallots, spices in a food processor: Place in a blender cognac or brandy, Madeira or sherry, garlic, parsley, shallot or onion, ginger, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg. Add diced livers and blend a cupful at a time. Season with salt and pepper, adding a dash of Tabasco or cayenne.
• Mix the ground pork with the blended liver
• Layer a terrine dish with bacon and pate mixture: Line a 4x8-inch terrine with strips of bacon, fill with mixture, and cover with bacon.
• Place terrine in a water bath: Place the terrine in a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish with water up to the halfway point on the side of the pâté dish. This "water bath" will help the pâté retain moisture and make for a smoother consistency in the texture.
• Bake: Bake uncovered in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F, for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cool under a weight: Cool the pate under a weight so that it will become firm and fine-textured. To do this, lay a piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil over the pâté and set on top of the entire surface a board weighted with a heavy object. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours. Serve: At serving time bring the terrine to the table, slice, and serve with crusty French bread or rolls and a glass of wine. Also good with lettuce and tomatoes. Variation: Use chicken livers, pork, and sausage meat in equal quantities. See my second recipe for pâté maison . From Poppy Cannon's Eating European , 1961.

FRENCH CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Heat chicken fat or vegetable oil in sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute, and sauté onion in it 20 to 25 minutes, or until very soft and lightly golden. add uncooked liver, and cook until just pink inside, a few minutes.
• Place onions and liver in food processor with eggs, brandy and starch, and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Arrange bay leaves shiny side down in loaf pan, and spoon liver mixture on top, pressing gently with spoon to get rid of any air bubbles. Set pan in a larger pan two-thirds filled with warm water, and bake 20 minutes. Cool, and unmold. Serve with rye bread.

FRENCH CHOPPED LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Broil the livers on a rack 4 inches from the heat for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until there is no more blood. Drain the livers, and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Heat the chicken fat or oil in a sauté pan, and sauté the onion or shallots slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very soft and lightly colored. Add the livers, and cook until still lightly pink inside, just a minute or two.
• Place the livers, onion or shallots, eggs, and Cognac or port in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Process until smooth.
• Decorate the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan with the bay leaves, placed shiny side down. Spoon the liver mixture on top of them, tapping gently to get rid of any air bubbles. Set the pan into a bain-marie, and bake for 20 minutes. Cool, then unmold. Serve with rye bread.