Aunt Shirley's Liver Pâté: A Journey of Flavors
Indulge in a culinary adventure with Aunt Shirley's Liver Pâté, a delectable spread that tantalizes taste buds with its rich, creamy texture and symphony of flavors. This classic French dish, crafted with care and precision, transforms humble liver into an extraordinary delicacy, perfect for any occasion. Discover the secrets behind this timeless recipe, along with variations that cater to diverse preferences and dietary restrictions. Embark on a flavor journey that celebrates the versatility of liver pâté, from the traditional to the innovative.
CHICKEN-LIVER PâTé
You could serve this chicken pâté as an appetizer at a dinner party, or simply as a light (really!) supper or a sandwich spread. It takes less than a half-hour to prepare, and it will firm up in the refrigerator in a few hours. Simply pack the mixture into a bowl or glass jar, cover and refrigerate.
Provided by Sam Sifton
Categories dinner, dips and spreads, appetizer, main course
Time 20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Put a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat, and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter until it begins to foam. Add the shallots, and sauté them until translucent, being careful not to allow them to brown. Add the livers, thyme and Madeira or port, and bring the heat to high. Cook, occasionally stirring the livers around in the pan with a spoon, until the wine has reduced and the livers are lightly browned but still very soft and pink on the inside, approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the stove, and put its contents into a blender or food processor, along with the cream and the remaining butter. Purée until smooth, adding a little more cream if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
- Pack the pâté into a glass jar or bowl, then smooth the top with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours or up to five days. Serve with bacon-onion jam and copious amounts of toast.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 207, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 225 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 1 gram
CREAMY CHICKEN LIVER PâTé
French pâté is in fact easier to make than my grandmother's chopped liver, which called for rendering chicken fat. Here, you just soften onions in butter, cook the livers, cool, purée and refrigerate. You don't have to bother with soaking the livers in milk, a step found in many recipes. Season aggressively: you want to taste the pepper, the coriander, the brandy and even the allspice and clove. Finally, cook the liver quickly, over pretty high heat. What you want is to brown the outside while keeping the inside pink. This, perhaps, is another major difference between pâté and chopped liver, in which the livers are almost always cooked to death.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dips and spreads, appetizer
Time 3h20m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder, combine peppercorns, allspice, clove and coriander seeds; grind until fine and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; when foam subsides, add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add livers to pan and sprinkle with salt; cook livers on one side until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes, then flip them and cook the other side. Be sure to keep heat relatively high so that the outside of livers sears and inside stays pink.
- Put onion, livers and their buttery juices into a food processor or blender with remaining butter, the cream, spices and brandy. Purée mixture until it is smooth; taste and adjust seasoning.
- Put pâté in a terrine or bowl, smooth top and put in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or until fully set. Serve pâté with bread or crackers.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 176, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 3 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 187 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
CHICKEN LIVER PATE
My family loves this spread with cracker. But I've also put it to use as a sandwich filling with lettuce and tomato. -Roberta Wolff, Waltham, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 30m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large skillet, saute chicken livers and onion in chicken fat for 10 minutes or until livers are no longer pink. Transfer to a food processor; cover and process until chicken livers are coarsely chopped. , Add the mushrooms, eggs, 1 tablespoon sherry, salt and pepper. Cover and process until smooth, adding more sherry or broth if needed for pate to reach desired consistency. , Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve with melba rounds or assorted crackers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 119 calories, Fat 8g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 206mg cholesterol, Sodium 189mg sodium, Carbohydrate 3g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 8g protein.
Tips:
- Choose fresh, high-quality liver. This will ensure that your pâté is flavorful and delicious.
- Soak the liver in milk for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will help to remove any impurities and make the liver more tender.
- Cook the liver slowly over low heat. This will help to prevent it from becoming tough.
- Season the pâté to taste. You can use a variety of herbs and spices, such as garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Serve the pâté chilled. This will help to firm it up and make it easier to spread.
Conclusion:
Aunt Shirley's Liver Pâté is a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer that is perfect for any occasion. With its creamy texture and rich flavor, this pâté is sure to be a hit with your guests. So next time you're looking for a special appetizer, give Aunt Shirley's Liver Pâté a try. You won't be disappointed!
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