Forget buying expensive ready-made pate, this is so easy, you will wonder why you never made your own pate before. This recipe makes a very smooth, very subtle tasting pate, that’s very easy on the eyes as well. If you can find 8 small ramekins to cook and serve the pate in, that is the best presentation, but if you can’t, you can cook it all together in one large earthenware pot. Just make certain it is oven proof before the second stage of cooking.

I like to cook this twice, but there are other ways of doing it. I just prefer my pate well cooked. This will serve 8 people as an appetizer or 4 people as a main dish, although I would recommend serving this for lunch rather than as an evening meal.

You will need:

Equipment:

• A large skillet or heavy frying pan
• A small saucepan
• An electric blender or food processor
• A wooden spoon
• A flexible spatula
• 8 small ramekins or 4 medium or 1 large pot

Ingredients:

• 12 oz chicken livers
• 8 oz butter
• Another 4 oz butter for the seal
• 2 oz brandy or port
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper

First, melt the butter in a heavy skillet or frying pan. Add the chicken livers and fry on a medium heat, turning regularly for about 5 minutes. Keep them moving, they do not need to be heavily cooked right now. Transfer the chicken livers to the blender and pour all the melted butter in from the skillet. Pre heat the oven to 350F

Add the garlic and brandy. If you prefer port, or just have port, use that instead. Season with a generous helping of salt and pepper. Blend until the livers are nice and smooth. Now place the pate in the pots, leaving about ¼ inch of space at the top of the pot. Smooth the top over with the back of a spoon. Transfer the pot or pots to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. While the pate is finishing cooking, take a small sauce pan, add the next 4 oz of butter to the pan and melt. When the pate has cooked for 15 minutes, take the pots out of the oven and pour the melted butter in the top of the pot, sealing the pate in. Leave the pot or pots to cool, and when they are cooled, put in the refrigerator. The butter should harden on the top of the pots, sealing the pate in.

They will keep for good length of time, but I would serve them within a week. Serve with warm toast or hot fresh French bread and a green salad or perhaps some sliced green onions and fresh tomatoes.

Bon Apetit!