Apple Calvados Chicken Liver Pate Recipes

CHICKEN LIVER PATE CROCK WITH APPLES AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Place chicken livers in a bowl and pour the milk over them. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least two hours. Drain and rinse.
• Melt 4 tbl. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add livers and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until livers are brown all over and still pink in the center. Remove livers with a slotted spoon to a food processor.
• Return pan to the heat and stir in onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in apples and cook for 3 minutes longer, until slightly soft. Remove from heat and scrape into the workbowl with the livers.
• Return pan to low heat; deglaze pan with Calvados and pour over livers.
• Add cream, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce and process mixture until smooth. Add remaining butter in pieces with the motor running and process until very smooth.
• Pour mixture into decorative crock(s). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Note: the first time I made this was for a bridal shower. I had failed to notice the chilling period, and ended up putting the pate warm from the processor on the table. The ladies wolfed it down in record time, so be guided.
• Note2: Do not under ANY circumstances use margarine in place of butter.
• Note3: I sometimes add about 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE ADAPTED FROM MICHAEL FIELD'S COOKING SCHOOL C

Steps:

• Clean the chicken livers carefully, cutting away any green or brown spots, then wash them quickly under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Now cut them in half.
• In a large heavy frying pan, melt the first 3 T butter. Add the onions and shallots and cook over moderate heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and soft and lightly colored. M ix in the chopped apple and cook 3 or 4 minutes longer. When soft enough to mash with a spoon, transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
• In the same pan, melt the second 3 T butter, this time over rather high heat. As the butter foam subsides, add the livers. Over high heat, turn them in the sputtering butter with a wooden spoon for about 3 or 4 minutes. When the livers are quite brown on the wutdiesa and still pink within, remove the pan fro the heat and flame them with the Calvados, which you have warmed slightly. Let the alcohot burn itself out completely.
• Now add the livers and all their juices to the onion-apple mixture. Moisten with 2 T cream and process. Add more cream if necessary. Process until very smooth. With a rubber spatula, crape the mixture out into a fine mest sieve set over a mixing bowl. Rub the past through the sieve with the back of a spoon. Let mixture cool completely.
• Cream the remaining 10 T of butter. When creamed, beat the cool liver paste, little by little into the butter. Stir in the teaspoon of lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Don't be sparing with the salt, since chilling deadens flavor, the pate will be surprisingly less salty than you thought.
• Pack the pate into small terrines or any attravtive quart-size container. Smooth the top witha spatula and pour over it enough clarified butter to cover it completely. This will not only prevent the pate from changing color as it chills, but will make an almost airtight covering that lessens the possibility of spoilage. (If you do not use the clarified butter, cover the crocks with plastic wrap.) Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• May be frozen.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH APPLE

Steps:

• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped apple and saute until soft, about 4 minutes; transfer mixture to processor or blended.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add livers and saute until brown on outside but still slightly pink in center, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes.
• Add livers to onion mixture.
• Add port to skillet and boil over high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes.
• Add Port and cream to livers and puree until smooth;cool.
• Beat 3/4 cup butter in bowl until smooth; beat in liver mixture 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Stir in lemon juice and season with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Pack pate into a crock or serving bowl.
• Cover with plastic and refrigerate until chilled.