Food Corner

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by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville

Last week, we introduced you to the very simple Carrot Salad. This week, we think it might be fun to have you make your own pâté, in fact, Branded Chicken Liver Pâté. This particular pâté is very tasty served on a plain old cracker or on triangles of pita or Naan bread. There are some unfortunate folks out there that don’t care for liver: you have my complete sympathy. This recipe isn’t for you but for those who enjoy the full rich flavour of liver with a bit of a twist. It is particularly great at parties where munchies are the stars of the event. It is very easy to make and you can experiment with different spices if you wish to (once you get the hang of it).

Brandied Chicken Liver Pâté

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken livers
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
A pinch or two of sea salt (or whatever salt you have kicking around) 1 cup of water
3 sticks of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
4 teaspoons of Cognac
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken livers, onion, garlic, thyme and a 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover; reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the livers are barely pink inside, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor or blender; process until coarsely pureed. With the machine on, add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Add the Cognac, season with salt and pepper and process until completely smooth. Scrape the pâté into 2 or 3 large ramekins. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pâté and refrigerate until firm. Serve chilled.

This pâté can also be wrapped and frozen for future parties. Please keep your e-mails coming my way at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

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