A Recipe · Starter
Chicken Liver Pâté
Chicken livers, sage, and cognac, blended smooth with butter and cream and sealed under a butter cap.
By Jeremy Potvin
Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min · Chill 3 to 4 hrs · Makes 4 to 6 small ramekins
Watch the Method
Ingredients
- 500 to 700 g chicken livers, cleaned and trimmed
- 200 g butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion or 2 shallots, julienned
- 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 large handful fresh sage leaves, plus a few extra for the tops
- 2 bay leaves
- 100 mL cognac or brandy
- 1 cup (250 mL) 35% cream
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Equipment
- Medium cast-iron pan
- Small saucepan (for melting the butter)
- Food processor
- Sealable containers or ramekins with lids
Method
Step 1: Brown the livers
- Melt a small knob of the butter in a medium cast-iron pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken livers, season lightly with salt, and sauté until they are just no longer red on the outside. They will feel slightly firm and rubbery at this point, which is exactly what you want.
- Remove the livers from the pan and set aside.
Step 2: Build the base
- Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté until softened and lightly golden.
- Pour in the cognac and tip the pan toward the flame to ignite it. Let the flames burn off completely. On an electric stove, let it bubble and reduce for a minute instead.
Step 3: Simmer
- Return the livers to the pan along with the cream, the bay leaves, and most of the sage, reserving a few leaves for the tops.
- Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
- Season with a little more salt and the white pepper, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Remove the bay leaves.
Step 4: Purée
- Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan.
- Transfer the liver mixture to the food processor and blend until very smooth.
- Check the salt and adjust if needed.
- With the processor running, pour in about three quarters of the melted butter and blend until fully incorporated. Set the rest of the butter aside for sealing.
Step 5: Pack and seal
- Spoon the pâté into containers, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
- Lay a couple of the reserved sage leaves on the surface of each.
- Pour the remaining melted butter over the top so it covers the sage and forms a seal.
- Cover and refrigerate until the butter is fully set, at least 3 to 4 hours.
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Dairy free, heart health, low sodium, kidney health: Keep The Recipe rewrites this pâté for your profile and shows you what changed.