Chicken liver pate is a spread made by combining chicken liver with other ingredients, typically served with bread or crackers. It can be refrigerated for weeks or frozen for months. Variations include adding cream cheese, pancetta, or capers, and using different liqueurs. The livers are cooked with onions, garlic, and spices, and can be pureed or chopped. It is typically garnished with fresh herbs and stored with melted butter.
Chicken liver pate is a type of spread created by combining chicken liver with other flavorings and finely chopping or pureeing the mixed ingredients. Usually served with bread or crackers, chicken liver pate is often considered a high-class spread. Pate can be kept for weeks refrigerated or frozen for months if covered with a layer of shortening before storing.
Pale chicken livers are often recommended for chicken liver pate because they have a milder flavor than darker livers. In addition to the meat, garlic and onions or shallots are usually included in this spread. Other seasonings may consist of salt and black pepper only, or may include thyme, allspice, sage, or bay leaves. Butter, usually unsalted, is also normally included, but olive oil is sometimes used. Some versions cool the butter before working with it, while others warm it to room temperature.
Variations can add cream cheese, milk, or lemon juice. Pancetta, a type of high-quality Italian pancetta, is sometimes included to increase the fat content and flavor, particularly if olive oil rather than butter is used. Capers can also be added.
Most versions of chicken liver pate also use a liqueur in its preparation. Cognac or brandy are the most common choices, but scotch, bourbon, or dry sherry can also be used. Depending on the version, all or some of the alcohol content may be removed by heating, leaving only the flavor or the alcohol may not be heated at all, retaining both the alcohol content and flavor in the finished dish.
The livers can be soaked for a few hours in milk or simply washed thoroughly before use. To prepare the pate, the onions and garlic are usually cooked first in butter, then the spices and livers are added. Once the livers are brown, alcohol is normally included. It can be heated only briefly or the mixture can be simmered until most of the liquid has evaporated. Alternatively, the alcohol can be omitted from the cooking process and only added after the mixture has been transferred to a food processor to puree.
Some versions do not pass the pate. Instead, after cooking, the mixed ingredients are repeatedly chopped into a fine texture. Chopped or pureed, chicken liver pate is typically served on crackers or toast and can be garnished with parsley or another fresh herb. When stored, it is usually layered with melted butter and covered in plastic wrap. The pate can be kept for one to two weeks in the refrigerator, or two months frozen when stored this way.
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