Pâté is one of those dishes that seems quite exotic and costly but is in fact super easy and inexpensive to make. Of course there’s no need to tell your guests that, it can be our little secret.

serves 6-8
250g (9oz) butter
2 medium onions, peeled & diced
500g (1lb) chicken livers
1-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan.

2. Transfer a few tablespoon of the butter to a frying pan and cook onion over a low heat for about 8 minutes or until onion is soft but not browned.

3. Increase heat to medium, add livers and cook, stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes or until livers are no longer pink in the middle.

4. Remove 100g (3.5oz) melted butter from the saucepan and reserve for topping the pâté.

5. Place livers and onion in a food processor with the melted butter left in the saucepan. Add sherry vinegar and whizz for a few minutes until pâté is very smooth. Taste and season with salt and a little more vinegar if needed.

6. Pass pate mixture through a fine sieve. Divide between serving bowls.

7. Top with remaining melted butter and refrigerate until butter is set.

Leftover Potential?

Wonderful. Will keep in the fridge under the butter for 1-2 weeks. Once the butter seal is broken best to eat within a few days. Freezes really well. Just pop the containers with the pate in plastic bags and keep in the freezer. Just defrost and it’s ready to serve.

Variations for Serving Sizes

You could easily double or triple the recipe. And you could halve or quarter it but with chicken livers so cheap, I think it’s best to make extra and freeze for another day.

Variations

different livers – feel free to use other livers such as duck or pig.

creamy – replace 50g (2oz) of the butter with heavy or double cream – just add cream to the food processor stage.

vegetarian – try a mushroom pate – replace livers with sliced mushrooms – cook until well browned and tender. Skip the sieving unless you’re super keen for

dairy-free – I really think that pate needs the butter. But you could cook the onions and livers in olive oil and then use about 1/2 cup olive oil to whizz into the pate. And skip the butter to ‘seal’ the top and make sure you use your pate within a few days.

Problem Solving Guide

no sherry vinegar? – replace with rice or other wine vinegar.

no chicken livers – you may need to get your butcher to order them in for you or try a specialist poultry butcher. The won’t be expensive and are well worth the effort.

bland – add a little more salt and a splash of vinegar.

grainy texture – if you didn’t sieve the pate, then that’s the problem. But if you did sieve and the texture is still coarse it means your chicken livers have been over cooked. Whizzing with a little cold cream may help the situation. But next time check the livers earlier or use a lower temperature.

Serving Suggestions

Pate loves toast or crusty bread. Or crackers. If you’re in a healthy mood, celery sticks are good.