Chicken Liver Pate with Cognac, with Sweet-and-Sour Red Onion Salad

This recipe is from Delia's Complete How to Cook.

This is smooth and velvety and also works well with duck livers, if you can get them.

The salad helps to cut through the richness. I like to serve this with toasted multi-grain bread.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to chop onions in our cookery school video on this page.

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Perfectly topped pots of pate

Asked by: samokhin

Dear, Lindsey! Please, one more question in the Christmas run-up. It is about DUCK LIVER PÂTÉ WITH ARMAGNAC or CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH COGNAC. I am just wondering if it is better or necessary to separate butter from the milk solids (the white part). Thank you. All the Best wishes, Pavel

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Pavel, Delia doesn’t worry about clarifying the butter for the top of the pate but yes of course you can gently melt the butter, skim away any froth and then spoon out (or carefully pour off) the clear yellow fat and leave milk solids at the bottom of the pan. Best wishes Lindsey

Getting ahead with chicken liver pate

Asked by: June Llewellyn

Hello. How far in advance can you make chicken liver pate with cognac before you need to serve it? Thank you. June

Answered by Lindsey: Hello June, It keeps well for 3 – 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen on the day it’s made for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge then, remove from the fridge at lease an hour before serving. Kind regards Lindsey

Freezing Chicken Liver Pate

Asked by: Arabella

Can I freeze Delia’s chicken liver pate?

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, Yes you can freeze chicken liver pate. Wrap the dishes well and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and remove from the fridge an hour (less if its very hot) before serving to take off the chill off. Kind regards Lindsey

Method

To make the pâté, take a medium-sized, heavy-based frying pan, melt about 1 oz (25 g) of the butter in it and fry the chicken 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 using a draining spoon and transfer them to a blender or food processor. Now, in the same pan, gently melt 5 oz (150 g) of the remaining butter and add this to the blender or food processor. Then pour the brandy on to 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 and garlic, season well with salt and freshly milled black pepper, and blend until you have a smooth, velvety purée.

Next, divide the between the ramekins (or pots). Then melt the remaining 2 oz (50 g) of butter, pour a little over each one to seal, press in a sprig of thyme, and leave them to get quite cold. Cover with clingfilm and leave them in the fridge till needed.

To make the red-onion salad, all you do is heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan, add the onions, turn the heat down to low and let them cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Next, add the sugar and 3 tablespoons water, stir well, then pop a lid on and let it continue cooking gently for another 10 minutes. After that, add the vinegar, mustard and some salt and freshly milled black pepper, and give everything another really good stir.

Then spoon the onions into a serving bowl and cool until needed. Don’t forget to remove the chicken liver pâtés from the fridge about an hour before serving, as both the pâté and the salad need to be served at room temperature.