Recipe Chicken Liver Pate with Fig Preserves

ElizabethB

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Mod.edit: this recipe has been copied and moved from another thread (Your Favorite Party Food).

Ingredients

1 container of chicken livers (usually about 1 lb. to 1.5 lbs.)
1/2 cup sliced white or yellow onions
1 cup chicken stock
2 1/2 sticks room temperature butter
1/2 tbsp. Cognac
Fig preserves - you need enough to cover the top of the Pate'
Cooking Spray
Plastic wrap (cling film)
2 1/2 to 3 cup terrine or ramekin
Minced chives for garnish (optional)
1/3 to 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans - I use pecans because my sister has 3 pecan trees in her yard. Each year I pick several buckets full - crack, shell and freeze 0 $.

Method
  • To toast the nuts heat oven to 350 F. Place nuts in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Toast for 5 to 8 minutes until just starting to brown. Cool and chop.
  • Trim the livers - remove any veins and connective tissue. Rinse and drain
  • Put the stock, onions and liver in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until liver is done but not over done. OK if it slightly pink. Drain and reserve the liver and the onions.
  • Put liver, onions, butter and cognac in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.
  • Taste - season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
  • Spray your terrine with cooking spray. Line with plastic wrap. Leave enough hanging over the side so you can grab it. Spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray - bottom and sides.
  • Spoon the liver mixture into the terrine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight.
  • Use the plastic wrap to pull the Pate out of the terrine. Plate on your serving platter top down. Remove the plastic wrap. Press the chopped, roasted nuts into the sides. Top with fig preserves and a sprinkle of chives (optional). Serve with water crackers or make your own Crostini.
Note : I use a smaller Terrine - 1 1/2 - 2 cup for a party and put the rest in smaller ramekins to keep at home.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice recipe! I'm intrigued by the fig preserves. Do you buy them or make them?

Mother has fig trees in her yard. They begin ripening July 4th every summer. I work with Mom, 2 sisters and youngest brother to harvest, cook the figs with sugar and preserve in jars. The trees produce for about 3 weeks. We usually harvest one day and cook the next. Repeat.

We take turns pitching in for two reasons:

- Mother is 86 - in excellent health but the brutal July heat and humidity tires her out.
- Selfish reason - we want figs preserves!

Home made figs can be found locally at farmers markets, flea markets, locally owned produced markets, Mom & Pop grocery stores and tourist venues.

I have seen commercially produced fig preserves in some of the supermarkets - Whole Foods for one. I am sure they are available through Amazon. I do not know if commercially produced preserves are the actual whole figs in syrup - the way we make it - or if it is more like a jam.

Fig preserves on hot biscuits or toast, a topping for ice cream or yogurt, a peanut butter sandwich with fig preserves and a slice of sharp cheddar. :hyper:
 
Chicken liver pate is one of my favourites! Fig preserve I have just discovered this week. I found a jar in the store cupboard (can't remember buying it) and used some in a sauce to go with lamb. Yes it does go very nicely with Cheddar as well!
 
@ElizabethB

Lucky lady .. I love fresh figs called " Brevas " in Spanish. Unfortunately, they have a very short summer growing season ..

So, I may have to substitute another fruit for the preserves with a similar tasting profile .. If I can get some tomorrow, I will be very lucky !

They are grown in southern Spain and the southeast coast of Spain, but the weather has cooled down 10 degrees centigrade, so I am uncertain to the last of the fresh fig season ..

I will enquire tomorrow morning ..

Have a lovely day ..
 
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