As you know my dear friend Angela is hosting a Titanic Anniversary party on April 14; it’s the Centenary Anniversary and she is going all out for 8 of her most fortunate friends. JT and I are very happy to be included and I have embraced her enthusiasm and jumped on the band wagon, as any good friend would do (well, I’m no saint, the reasons are purely selfish, I just LOVE this kind of stuff), thank you Angela for allowing me to share in your excitement and to help with some of the food and the embellishments! I really do LOVE this stuff.
Many of my wonderful, gentle readers have been so generous with supportive comments and enthusiasm for this fun event, we thank you sincerely. My new found friend, Charlie Louie from Australia (I really do wish we were neighbours!) gave me a link to one of her very first posts on her lovely blog, Hotly Spiced that gave us a recipe for Duck Liver Pâté from a book she received as a gift from her son (she made her recipe with chicken livers, YUM). I remembered I had a couple of chicken livers in the freezer, so I thought, why not? Plus I needed a little appi for a friend coming over for drinks on Friday! We’ve had such a mild winter, and it warmed up to close to 20°C so we had to indulge and sit on the back patio for drinks after work. We still needed a sweater, but who cares, it was March 16 for crying out loud. I ain’t complaining!
I don’t think Angela is including this recipe in her dinner, but I am totally into the mood, so I wanted to try it anyway (update, Angela has kindly given me the opportunity to make this appetizer as well, so I’m really pumped about it). I have to admit, it sounded a little bland when I first read it, but I wanted to keep it true so I didn’t change it up at all. The flavours were subtle yet it was very tasty. The liver really shined with the dash of rosemary. I used a square form that I was able to push the set paté out onto a plate, Charlie plated her’s in ramekins which also looked beautiful. I had to cut the recipe down because I didn’t have enough chicken livers (plus there were only three of us) but you can click here, for Charlie’s recipe. Note, as is my usual fashion, I cut down the butter and used milk instead of cream. I didn’t feel the taste suffered because of my changes.
Titanic Hors D’œuvres: Chicken Liver Pâté
Serves 4-6, depending on how hungry you are!
Ingredients:
- 113 g Chicken Livers
- 25 g melted butter
- 13 mL milk
- 1/4 tsp brandy (I actually cheated and added about a tablespoon)
- 1/4 tsp chopped rosemary
- crackers
Directions:
- Heat 15 g of the butter in a saucepan, add the livers and cook gently for 3-4 minutes. The livers should be cooked on the outside but a little pink on the inside.
- When the livers are cooked, place them into a processor and process until smooth.
- Add the brandy and rosemary to the saucepan then heat gently, scraping up the residue of the livers.
- Add the heated brandy and rosemary to the liver in the processor, together with milk and seasoning. Process until smooth.
- Pack the paté into a form (mine was square) and pour the remaining melted butter over the top of the pate to seal, cover and place in the fridge to chill. This should be made in advance so that the flavours have a chance to really pop.
Thanks again, Charlie, I look forward to making this for April 14th (I’ll likely do your proportions at that time!)
[…] so I thought I would use them (plus JT is not a huge anise fan). I had a little extra pot of the Titanic Pâté for our Sunday dinner with nephew Brian and the flat bread went very well with it. These flat […]
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[…] from finishing everything on our plates. My contribution of three (for recipes click here, here and here) of the ten courses were also well received. The table was beautifully set with the hand made […]
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How long should the pate sit before serving? We love pate. I’ve been buying it canned from the grocery store, assuming it was very difficult to make at home. Your recipe makes it look quite easy, except for the part where you have to wait before eating!
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Hi Amber, sorry about the long wait for the reply, your comment was caught up in my spam filter. The paté should really have time to set, over night would be perfect and that way the fats will have a chance to congeal so that they can be molded into a form (like the one I used). Alternatively, you can just wait for it to cool and spread directly from a ramekin (like Charlie did on her post). Either way, it’s pretty darn cool and very yummy. Plus you get to control the preservatives and salts that the store bought kind usually has too much of! Thanks for your comment.
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I love chicken liver pate and have never made it. Yours looks so pretty and so easy to make…very approachable! Lovely deck.
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Thanks Betsy, sadly it’s been a bit too chilly to sit out there since.
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Hi Eva,
I have yet to try chicken liver pate. It sounds so exotic. Will have to try this recipe out.
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Thanks Asmita, it has a lovely texture and a wonderful combo of subtle flavours.
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What a delicious looking two-bite treat for a party. They look delicious! Thanks for sharing. Also, I’m having a great giveaway today with four potential prize winners, so you should enter!
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Thanks for the heads up, Georgia, I went right over to your beautiful blog and commented! Those teas sound so refreshing.
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Extra brandy.. now that’s the kind of “tweaking” I like! I’ll be trying this one out soon.. I love pate. Are those home-made crackers on the side?? xo Smidge
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Thank you kindly Barbara. Sadly the crackers were not home made this time, but I do have a few wonderful recipes up my sleeve:
and
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Isn’t it amazing that you were able to enjoy your patio this time of the year. Both recipes sound great…just depends on how rich of a dish you want and how good you want to be. A big “thank you” to both of you.
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You’re absolutely right, Karen, we are indeed very fortunate with the weather this year. I’m finding that my weight is more and more difficult to keep in check as I get older, do cutting out carbs is really the best choice for me!
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The paté looks fantastic. Thank you for everything you are doing to make our Titanic dinner extra special Eva! Your enthusiasm is making it even MORE exciting for me. And thank you everyone for your interest – my gown is almost finished and I can hardly wait.
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Thank you Angela, the taste was spot on too! Helping out is absolutely my pleasure! I’m very excited about that evening too!
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Well-done Eva! That looks gorgeous! I just had my very first pate last night. It was a duck version (with a raspberry gelee) and I absolutely adored it. I’m sure I would enjoy this chicken version just as much. You’ve got me so excited for this party too! 🙂
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Thanks Kristy, I’m very glad you enjoyed your first pâté (duck liver or fois gras is not legal in Illinois!) I hope you try to make this one. I’m so happy to be able to share this evening with you, thank you for your enthusiasm!
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Really?! I had no idea. (We ate ours in Kentucky. 😉 )
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I found out in a small restaurant in downtown Chicago (I think it was called Kevin’s, but I don’t think it’s around anymore). The waiter was running down the list of the specials and did a nudge nudge wink wink on the pâté, and we both said WHAT? And that’s when he told us. Apparently Hungary is a large supplier of duck to the French, and their trucks get hijacked frequently on the trip to France. Go figure.
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Love chicken liver paté – I make it every year for my Christmas table and it’s so wonderful because a big bowl of chicken livers are cheap as chips. You can turn it into something really “gourmet” and delicious! Never tried with rosemary and brandy – usually add thyme and port myself… will have to try it next time! 🙂
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They are cheap here too, Charles. Our flavourite is usually with mirin and Chinese five spice https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/country-chicken-liver-pate-on-grilled-garlic-croustini-with-papaya-sauce/
Our full chickens used to come with the livers and gizzards but now they don’t! 😦
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I like the way the red pillows and the blue … barbecue(?) pop in the photo of your deck.
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Hi Sharyn, thank you! Our BBQ is tucked into a little inlet in the deck beside our back door (from the kitchen) so we can BBQ during the winter! We designed it so that bad weather will allow us access up the grill!
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I’ve made a cheater’s version of chicken pate (love chicken livers) but this sounds very decadent.
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PS: Was the rosemary dried or fresh?
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Hi Maria, sorry I don’t know how I missed this comment. It was fresh.
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I’d love to see the recipe Maraia.
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Basically, I just cooked some diced onion in a large saute pan in a combination of unsalted butter and olive oil til golden brown, added washed and trimmed chicken livers (~ 1 lb) that had been patted dry, cooked them til there was no pink left, added salt and cracked black pepper to taste then pureed them. Put the puree in a couple of ramekins and pour some melted butter on top to form a seal and then refrigerate. Nothing elaborate. 🙂
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That’s basically the recipe I use normally. Why cheater version?
I used dry rosemary because I needed so little I couldn’t justify buying a bunch.
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I would have added a tablespoon as well Eva…but you probably could have guessed that. 🙂
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You’re right Jed, but we would have had to sneak it in…not WW friendly, I’m afraid.
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I won’t tell Liz. 😉
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I have never made or even tasted liver pate. My husband loves chicken liver so I am bookmaring this to make it for him
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Thanks Sawsan, it’s a lovely earthy taste, so if you like mushrooms (like morels) you will like this.
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I am a pate lover! I could live only from liver every day, its soo addictive. never tried it with brandy though. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
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That’s quite cool Helene, I’ve not known anyone who loves chicken livers quite so much! The cognac really ads a lovely flavour.
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I too must have a pullover on…It’s cold in the morning time. My husband has to wear a winter coat when he goes to work..but in the afternoon, it’s all sunny and warm.
The pate looks delicious!
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Thanks Angie, I actually love the coolness of the morning and the warmth of the evening, it makes me feel alive!
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I’ve seen chicken liver paté prepared by chefs on television and have always wondered just how truly good it was. (No matter what is prepared, the food is always “… delicious … so rich …”) This recipe, being recommended by 2 whose opinions I’ve come to respect, must be good and I look forward to preparing it. Thanks, Eva.
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You are truly flattering my friend! Thank you for your kind and generous comments!
But honestly, you are so well versed in such cooking skills that chicken liver pâté would be child’s play to you!
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Chicken livers is something else I’ve never cooked with and would be nervous about it my first time starting out. But I do love pate and I think yours would be delicious! I’m sure the rosemary and brandy combine to make a rich profile that complements the meat beautifully.
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Don’t be hesitant Bill, it’s not that tough, just a bit different. I hope you try it.
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Agree with P&P above, that is so cool to have an authentic dish from the titanic to serve at the Titanic Anniversary party.
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Thanks so much Norma, it is very cool indeed to be involved in this type of party!
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There is nothing like appies on your patio (hint). How cool to have an authentic dish from the titanic. I can see why you’d like to have Charlie as a neighbour–she has made a string of yummy desserts lately!
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So sweet of you to say Barbie! We tried inviting you over, but sadly you had more exciting plans!
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I was just teasing! It is in fact our turn to have you over. Let’s try to get together after we get back from vacation!
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Have a great time!
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I’m so glad you made the pate. I was also tentative that the dish would be full of flavour given there are so few ingredients but it does work and, it is an authentic recipe that was served to the First Class passengers of Titanic the night the ship went down. Your pate looks beautiful and I’m so glad you were able to enjoy it on a somewhat balmy Canadian night. xx
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Thank you Charlie, for the recipe and the inspiration. JT gave it a solid thumbs up, so I’m sure to be making it again. We are indeed enjoying crazy temperatures these days!
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