Baking
57 recipes
The signature dish of the family - handed down from my mother Sandra. The recipe from an old St Cuthbert’s recipe book in the 50’s – her boarding school in New Zealand.
Freshly made paté is a totally different experience to what you buy in the store and tastes beautiful and special.
Make sure to blend well until it is really smooth. Don’t be shy with the pepper. Follow the alcohol measures, if you add too much it won’t set as well, but you need enough for the flavour to shine through as it mellows while cooling.
As it makes such a large amount, I recommend many small containers – a mix of ceramic and take away Tupperware, so you can give some away as presents – it freezes really well too.
A party favourite.
Makes enough to feed a large party! Freezes well. GF.
Pictured: Chicken & Brandy Pâté
Ingredients
- 250g unsalted butter
- 1 small brown onion, diced
- 4 rashers bacon, diced
- 500g chicken livers, preferably organic
- Dessert wine glass - ¾ brandy ¼ sherry or half/half
- Pepper (lots) and sea salt
- Roughly chop the chicken livers into even pieces, discard any sinew etc.
Method
Melt butter in a small heavy based saucepan on low- med heat, then add onion and bacon, cook for 5 - 10 minutes.
Add chicken livers and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes.
Add lots and lots of pepper – peppered pate is a lovely combination. Add a sprinkle of sea salt so that you can smell the flavour intensify – about 3 pinches.
Take off heat, add the brandy/sherry – it will smell strongly of alcohol, but this flavour will diminish as it cools. The alcohol is added off the heat so as to keep the flavour as much as possible, otherwise it can cook off while simmering.
Let cool enough to process in a blender to a smooth paste and then transfer all into a large bowl and stir well to even out the flavour and consistency.
Put in one large or many small containers of any size and refrigerate til firmed up. You can melt clarified butter over the top if you like. As it is cooked in alcohol it will keep for a week in the fridge and freezes well.
Dietary preferences
- Gluten-Free with ingredient checks
