My love affair with Chicken Liver Pâté began when I was a child. My parents enjoyed eating at French restaurants; and often took my brother and me with them. It was at those restaurants that my love of pâté began. It was such a treat to be served a slice of pâté surrounded in aspic and served with toast points. No, these were not kosher restaurants. We had a kosher home but ate non-kosher food outside the home. I never imagined that I would marry a man who didn’t think that was okay. Fast forward, I did marry such a man and agreed to stop eating meat and seafood that was not kosher. Thus began my process of creating kosher versions of much of the food I had come to love. Years ago, I used to make pâtés which sliced like those I used to enjoy. What a lot of work! I decided this creamy pâté was my abridged answer to the flavors I was missing.
Pour a glass of wine, spread this creamy Chicken Liver Pâté on some French bread, turn on some music and you’ll feel like you’re in Paris. Chicken Liver Pâté is more than a gourmet version of chopped liver; which I love as well. This pâté, flavored with cognac, is one of my favorite hors d’oeuvres of all times. It’s easy to make and oh so delicious to eat.
Chicken Liver Pâté
By Published: February 3, 2014
- Cuisine: French
- Course: Hors d'Oeuvres
- Skill Level: Easy
Yield:
- 2 Cups
Cook time:
- 2 hrs 35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Chicken Livers kashered*
- 1 Large Onion peeled & chopped
- 4 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Margarine
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Cognac
- salt optional
Equipment
- Skillet
- Food Processor steel knife inserted
Directions
- Rinse all salt off livers and pat them dry. Cut off any pieces of the livers that were charred in the kashering process.
- Melt 4 tablespoons non-dairy margarine in skillet and sauté onions until they are very soft. Add livers, allspice and pepper. Sauté over relatively high heat so that the livers absorb some of the onion and spice flavor and cook a bit more but still remain pink on the inside.
- Spoon everything from skillet (including juices) into food processor. Add cognac. Process until mixture is creamy and smooth. Allow pâté to cool off a bit before tasting- then adjust spices. Add a little salt if you need to. I find the cognac so flavorful that no extra salt is needed.
- Pour pâté into a serving crock or bowl and chill for three hours. Serve with French bread and crackers. Bowls of gherkins and olives are a nice addition to this very elegant hors d’oeuvre.
- To Kasher livers: Spread livers out on foil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Put under top shelf of broiler for a few minutes or until salt has set. Remove livers, turn over, salt on the other side and return to broiler for a few minutes longer. Remove livers from broiler, rinse well and proceed with recipe. Discard foil and all juices that have gathered.
