Tuesday 23 April 2013

Chicken Liver Pâté

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   Chicken Liver Pâté a Classy French Delicacy


We have been eating sauted, grilled or fried chicken liver with different spices, now its time to try it in a different way. Yes the French way, in the form of a creamy, smooth delicately herb flavoured Chicken Liver Pâté.

Chicken liver pate is a high class spread prepared by combining chicken liver cooked with onions, garlic, butter/olive oil and a range of other flavorings, herbs and finely chopping or pureeing the mixed ingredients. The mixture is then refrigerated so it can develop its full taste in at least 2-3 days.


They are generally used for appetizers spread over crackers or toasts chicken liver pate is often considered a high-class spread. Pate can keep for several weeks refrigerated or months frozen if covered with a layer of butter before it is stored preferably in small Ramekins or bowls.

There are many versions of Chicken Liver Pate around the world, varying with cultures, cooking traditions, available ingredients adjusting to different tastes and so on. Thus there are hundreds of different recipes available to create that palatable perfect bowl of Chicken Liver Pate. The recipes allows adjusting the amount and selection of different ingredients to suit taste, and preferred calorie intakes as well as available ingredients. 

Multigrain wholewheat sandwich filled with chicken liver Pate, sundried tomatoes and crispy lettuce
 Here goes my version using the locally available ingredients in Karachi. It turned out really delicious, and I have been using this spread on crackers, toasts, sandwiches, papays.  My favourite is to spread it on wholewheat multigrain toasts, throwing in a big stack of fresh green salad leaves and rocket, some chopped sundried tomatoes and few capers. 

 Here I get a delicious, gourmet sandwich ready in a jiffy.  

Ingredients:

-1/2 KG Chicken Liver (preferably light coloured)
- One big onion chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped or minced fresh garlic
- 2 bay leaves (tez patta)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil/Butter
-250 gms- One packet of low/no fat milk, can use whole milk if not calorie concious
- 200gms of Danish Feta/Light Cream/Cream cheese
-Thyme
- a fresh bunch of Dill (soya)
-Fresh coarsely ground black pepper
-Capers (optional)
-Mustard Powder
-Salt to taste, omit if using Feta.

Cooking Instructions

Step-1 Preparing
- Trim all fats and connective tissues from the chicken liver, remove the heart, and chop liver in 2-3 pieces each
- In a steel/plastic bowl soak the liver in the milk for 3-4 hours

Step-2 Cooking
- Heat butter/oil in  a pan and lightly sauté the garlic and onions
-now add the chicken and cook for a few minute, don’t brown it or it will make the texture of Pate coarse and hard instead of smooth and creamy.
- Now add the milk and let it simmer for 6-7 min
- Add mustard while it is still simmering
- cook until all soft and mushy
- remove the pan from heat and let it cool for bit and remove bay leaves
- Now puree this mixture using a hand held electric blender or food processor
-Add cheese/Cream, black pepper, capers, tyme while still blending
- Now fold in 1/4 cup chopped dill
- The final produc should be a creamy smooth paste with green dill and coarsely chopped black peppers, and bits of other herbs showing.



 Step-3 Storing:
 
- While still hot spoon it in small Ramekin or small bowls for refrigeration.
- Ideally the Pate is covered with a layer of fat/butter, this increases the shelf life and gives it a flavour. I don’t add butter just to avoid added fat, it still taste just as good.