Chicken Liver Parfait

I have put this recipe under French cuisine purely and simply because Pâté or Parfait originated in France and although many countries have adapted their own versions and I must admit there are some great versions too!

Now I know alot of people who that turn up their noses at the thought of eating liver, but they do indulge in pâté! What did you think pâté was made from? Okay so the word “Liver” has been dropped but check out the ingredients! Okay this is a parfait, but the only difference is that the mixture is blended to a soft silky smooth paste, where as a pâté is more rustic and chunky!

Anyway this recipe to me is great, because I do prefer chicken liver to other livers and it is easy to get here in Germany. Oh and did I mention that it is just so simple to make! The most difficult part of this recipe is cleaning up the livers without losing too much liver. It is better to remove all sinewy parts of the liver before frying in the pan. Of course making sure that the liver is not overcooked is also important as you want it still a bit pink inside to give the parfait a great appealing colour.

The great thing about this recipe too, is that once you have made it and seen how simple it is to do, then you can really make it your own. Add some cayenne or chilli to spice it up. Choose different herbs to give a different flavour. Caramalise the shallot or use 2 or 3. Add extra garlic! The options are there for the making!

Serves 4 – 8

Ingredients

• 220g butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 450g chicken livers, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 tbsp brandy or masala (you can always use more if you want a sweeter taste)
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp mace or nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
• Bay leaves, or sprig of rosemary or thyme to garnish

Preparation method:

Melt halfof the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the shallot and fry until softened.

Add the garlic and chicken livers and fry the livers until golden-brown all over and cooked through, although you still want them pinkish in the middle but make sure all the blood is cooked out. Then add the brandy or masala, mustard powder, mace or nutmeg and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the liver mixture and half of the remaining butter into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season if necessary with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Now pour the mixture from the food processor into a serving ramekin or bowl and decorate with a couple a bay leaves or a sprig of rosemary or thyme.

Melt the remaining butter in a clean pan. Skim off the froth and pour the butter over the pâté. Transfer to the fridge to chill, then serve when ready with baguette or some nice crusty bread!

Enjoy!