Christmas Pâté

judsoncarroll4
judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin
edited November 2020 in General Recipes

Since many of y'all keep chickens, I thought y'all might enjoy this. Here is an old recipe from the French side of my family. I just made some for Christmas and it really is great. It works with any kind of poultry liver, and because you use butter, it works great with wild duck and goose liver - doesn't have to be farm fattened (which I don't consider to be ethical).

1/2 pound chicken livers

2 boiled eggs

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons butter (more if you want to add softened butter to the pate after it is finished)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion or shallot

1 pinch parsley

1 shot brandy

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch +/- (to taste) each nutmeg, cloves and mustard powder

a couple dashes Worcestershire sauce

Cook the livers in the broth, simmering about 10 minutes (if you like mushrooms, you can add a few, finely chopped at this point)

drain and reserve the broth

mash the livers and boiled eggs to a very smooth paste (you can use a food mill or food processor, but a fork works fine)

lightly brown the onions in the butter - get them very soft

add the onions, brandy and a little broth at a time, until you get the right consistency

add the spices, tasting as you go

Serve on crackers or buttered toast. You can add or substitute a lot of things - some people like a little hot pepper, some use bourbon, Irish whiskey or a sweet wine like port, sherry or madeira. Toasted pecans go really well with it. Sometimes I make an Asian flavored version using soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.... but the above has a real Christmasy flavor. It is also great in a meat pie with some steak or deer meat.

Merry Christmas y'all - may the best of the past be the worst of the future!

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