Chicken Liver Pâté with a Port Tarragon Aspic
Who doesn’t like chicken liver pâté ? Well, a lot of people. But it is because they haven’t tried it. Most people cringe at the sound of eating livers, yet they consider themselves super adventurous for trying the foie gras torchon at their local farm-to-table restaurant. Well, guess what… foie gras is liver. So there.
This recipe originated from my father’s rolodex. He used to prepare it as an appetizer for fancy shmancy occasions. I remember eating this as a young kid, and being perplexed by the richness and the smooth texture. It was a delight! It is something that I would completely forget about, but crave nearly a decade later, and still crave regularly today. The best part about it is it is not too expensive! Joke is on you for spending so much at your local restaurant for it! It is not too hard to make, just takes a bit of time and patience.
Ingredients
Port Aspic:
2 tsp Unflavored Gelatin
1 cup Port
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbso Water
3tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Fresh chopped Tarragon
Chicken Liver Pâté:
1 lb chicken livers
1 cup whole milk
½ cup cognac
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup chopped shallots
1 Green tart apple, peeled, cored and sliced
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup whipping cream
1 ¼ tsp salt
Juice from half a lemon
Preperation:
1) Combine livers, milk and cognac in medium bowl and soak for 1 hour.
Aspic:
2)Generously butter an 8”x4” loaf pan, coat and set adie. Dissolve gelatin in small bowl with ¼ cup port.
3)Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirrung until dissolved. Cook until mixture is fark caramel color, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk in vinegar, remaining port and tarragon. Reduce heat and simmer about two minutes. Add gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Strain aspic through cheesecloth or coffee filter into prepared loaf pan. Chill to set.
Pâté:
4) Melt half butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until cooked through with a slight brown. Add apple and cook until softened. Transfer mixture to food processor and blend.
5) Drain and add livers to skillet on medium high heat. Sauté until just pink, about 10-12 minutes. Add to food processor and blend with shallot/apple.
6) Reduce skillet to medium heat and add sherry to skillet. Stir in all the leftover bits clinging to the pan. Add sherry and ¼ cup cream to liver mixutre. Puree until smooth. Let stand until lukewarm.
7) Take remaining room temperature butter and whip in a bowl until creamy. Gradually add remaining butter into food processor. (I do not use as much butter here as the recipe calls for. I usually add a tbsp or two and call it a day.)
8) Mix in salt and lemon juice, and spice to flavor.
9) Pour chicken liver puree on top of the set aspic. Let sit overnight in the fridge.
10) To remove patte from pan, run a warm knife around the edges, and invert pan onto a plate. If the pâté does not come out, submerge pan in warm water for a few seconds and try again. Do not leave the pan submerged in the water for too long as that will melt the aspic. Garnis with fresh tarragon leaf.
11) Enjoy on a fresh baguette, crackers, a fork, spoon, etc.
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Did you make too much, and don’t know what to do with it?
Try sautéing garlic in a medium sauce pan. Add two-3 heaping spoonfuls of the pâté to the hot pan, and allow the pâté to melt a little. Add 3 cups of freshly cooked penne pasta. Add freshly chopped basil, and halved cherry tomatoes. Mix thoroughly. Top with fresh Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
seizethesupper 