Chicken Liver Pate with Crostini

When our family all gets together to open gifts on Christmas Day we always have appetizers to snack on, and everyone brings something to contribute to the table.  This year I want to bring something different.  I remember that my husband often speaks of a liver pate that his grandmother used to make, and that the family was very fond of.  So I decided to try my hand at making some.

First I did a web search, and up came quite a number of different recipes.  I read most of them, and the comments for each one,  then I developed my own recipe based on the ingredients from some of them, and added in some seasonings I thought would enhance it.   I made it today and served some to my husband.  First of all he was very surprised, then he said he loved it, and it reminded him of his grandmother’s pate.  I’m very pleased with the result which I plan to bring on Christmas Day.  I think it would go well on a table of appetizers for New Year’s Eve or anytime you are entertaining.  It takes about 30 minutes to make, and you get approximately 3 cups of pate.  Keep it covered in the refrigerator and it will last quite a long time.   Ahem—-not so long at my house because I keep snacking on it!

To make the crostini,  I used a large Baguette, sliced on the diagonal, about 1/2 inch thick.  Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, brush or spray with olive oil and sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 – 6 minutes till crisp.  Spread some pate on each “crostini” and top with crumbled hard-cooked egg, sliced green onions, or leaves of parsley.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE

YIELD:   Makes about 3 cups of pate

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound chicken livers
• 4 Tablespoons of fat    Use chicken fat if available, or butter.
• 1 medium onion, chopped.   I used up some green onions in mine.
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons dry sherry,  white wine,  or chicken broth
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice   )  here I used 1 teaspoon Penzeys Tsardust Memories, a Russian-style seasoning that contains salt, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, marjoram and black pepper.
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg   )
• hot sauce or cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

WHAT TO DO:

1.   Melt fat/butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the liver and 1/2 the chopped onion.

Saute the liver with chopped onions.

Reduce heat to low and cook about 7 – 10 minutes until liver is tender and no longer pink.  Add the garlic and cook another minute till it releases it’s fragrance.  Remove from heat.

2.  Place liver mixture in a food processor or blender.  Add the liquid, i.e.. sherry, wine or chicken broth.  Also add the cream cheese, remaining chopped onion, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper and hot sauce/cayenne.  Process till smooth.  Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours to chill and firm up.

3.  To serve:  transfer the pate into a mold or serving dish and crumble hard-cooked egg over the top.  Garnish with sliced green onions, or parsley.   Spread on crostini, or serve with toasted bagel chips or crackers.

Chicken Liver Pate with Crostini

SOURCE:  a Carolyn Original