Chicken liver pâté is a traditional French dish that combines rich chicken livers with flavorful pantry staples to create a silky, luxurious spread. At your next party, serve it with crackers or a crusty baguette, or keep a ramekin in the fridge for indulgent anytime snacking.
What Exactly Is Chicken Liver Pâté?
Fresh chicken livers are cooked in a garlicky brandy-infused butter sauce and puréed to a creamy, spreadable consistency to make chicken liver pâté. This classic appetizer, known as pâté de fois de volaille in French, is made with chicken offal (organ meat), a popular ingredient in traditional French cooking.
In contrast to terrine, which has coarser meat chunks, pâté is a more mousse-like spread with a delicately meaty flavor. This deceptively fancy pâté, traditionally served on crostini or as part of a charcuterie board with slices of crusty baguette or crackers, is sure to impress your guests at your next wine-fueled dinner party.
3 Ways to Make Chicken Liver Pâté
These simple pointers will help you navigate the organ-preparation process.
1. Soak the livers in water. Soaking the livers in milk before making the pâté will help to soften the intense flavor. If you want a milder and more refined flavor, soak the livers in milk for one to two hours before draining and chopping.
2. Avoid pâté with a grainy texture. The most common cause of grainy pâté is overcooked livers. Cook the livers until just lightly browned before blending for a smooth, silky texture. To achieve an extremely smooth pâté, strain the puréed mixture through a fine strainer after blending to remove any unwanted bits of texture.
3. Properly store the pâté. If you are not going to eat your pâté right away, it is critical to properly store the leftovers with a layer of fat. Wrap the pâté in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Top with two tablespoons of melted butter, lard, or clarified butter, which will firm up when chilled. The pâté will keep in the refrigerator for at least one week with the butter layer; without it, the spread should be consumed within one to two days.
Aušra
Reply