One of my all-time fave munchies is a peppery chicken paté, the flavor built with the addition of a green apple, a nip or so of brandy, and, here’s my spin on the whole thing…
I use allspice in place of the more accustomed nutmeg.
My only problem with it is that it makes so very much, and not all folx want to eat something made with chicken livers, so I need to wait until I have the right crowd.
My Book Club is that crowd.
“Chicken livers and a bit more than 1/4 pound of Irish butter? Sure!”
INGREDIENTS
•9 tbsp butter (1 stick + 1 tbsp)
•1 onion, diced
•1 large garlic clove, sliced
•1 shallot, diced
•1 tsp salt
•1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
•1 Granny Smith apple; cored and chopped
•1/4 tsp ground allspice
•1 lb chicken livers
•2 tsp black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•2 tbsp brandy
Melt four tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic and shallot with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt for four minutes.
Add the apple and allspice and cook for another five minutes, then remove from the pan to a bowl.
Melt another four tablespoons of butter (you have one tablespoon left at this point – that’s good) over medium heat and add the chicken livers, another 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper.
Add the apple and onion mixture along with the chopped parsley and continue cooking for another four minutes, until the livers are cooked through with very little pink left.
Stir in the cognac and remove from the heat.
The original recipe called for running the liver mixture through a blender in two batches to achieve a silky-smooth texture.
I just toss the still warm whole pot into my food processor with that last, lonely tablespoon of butter.
Process until the paté is as smooth as you like. I alsways go for pretty darned smooth.
Taste for seasoning and add a bit more salt and pepper, if you like. We liked – and added a bit more pepper – added 1/2 tsp black pepper and a pinch of sea salt.
Turn the mixture into 1 or 2 small terrines or crocks – whatever you plan to serve the pâté in – cover with plastic wrap, and stash in the fridge to set.
You can eat the paté at any point now, but the flavor will greatly improve after resting in the fridge overnight.
Mmmm, peppery paté.
Remember at the beginning of this post when I said that it made a lot?
This bowl has 1-3/4 cups of paté, and there is another one just behind it, so…
Forewarned is forearmed.