Apple and calvados pâté
There is one treat we make every Christmas as an appetizer - liver pâté. I usually get the best organic chicken liver there is to make it for the dinner table and also as a gift to give guests when they leave. Since good liver is hard to find and home made pâté is a rare thing, this makes it even more special as a stand-alone gift or part of a larger gift. This is one of our favorites, made with apples, calvados and lots of herbs – it just melts in the mouth. Great as a part of a gift with marinated olives and marinated feta.
Ingredients
320 g peeled apples, cut into pieces
50 g butter
2 tbsp Demerara sugar
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only
7 sprigs thyme, leaves only
6 large peeled garlic cloves
1 kg chicken liver
250 ml whipping cream
50 ml calvados
200 g butter, in 6 pieces
1 tbsp or to taste smoked salt
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
Prepare
Put apples, 50 g butter and sugar in a frying pan and sauté on medium heat until golden and caramelized. This can take up to 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, add rosemary, thyme and garlic and continue to sauté until the apples are ready.
Add liver to the pan and fry for 4 minutes. Add calvados and boil for 2 minutes on high heat (be careful if using gas, as it might make a big flame). Add cream, salt and pepper and boil for 5-7 minutes until the liver is still a bit pink inside. Remove from the heat and spoon everything into a food processor. Blend until smooth.
With the motor running on medium speed, gradually add the cubed butter, adding pieces only when the previous one has melted. Divide between ramekins or jars and smooth the tops down by tapping the bottom of the ramekins against the counter. Let them cool while you prepare the butter finish.
On a low heat, melt the butter and oil in a saucepan. Spoon over the pâté, decorate with rosemary (it will also give taste), and refrigerate until cold.
Makes 8 x 300 – 400 ml jars
Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s
Plates, table and Christmas decorations: HM Home
Place: Sukņu stacija, Riga, Maskavas 196
