Recipe: Chicken liver pate

Chicken liver pate on toasted bread. Photo / Thinkstock

• 100g shallot, finely sliced
• 3g garlic, minced
• 15g thyme sprigs, tied in a bunch with string
• 150g dry madeira
• 150g ruby port
• 75g white port
• 50g brandy
• 15g table salt
• 400g chicken livers, trimmed weight
• 300g unsalted butter

1. Place the shallots, garlic and thyme in a container with the madeira, ruby and white port and the brandy and set aside overnight to marinate.

2. The next day, heat the marinated mixture in a small saucepan until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and only a tablespoon or so remains. Stir regularly as the liquid is reducing so nothing sticks and burns on the bottom of the pan.

3. Remove from the heat and then discard the bunch of thyme. Sprinkle the chicken livers with the salt.

4. Heat the butter in a pan, saute the livers until they are just pink.

5. Add the shallot/garlic reduction. The mixture will be quite wet.

6. Blitz all this together in a food processor to make a fine puree, then use a spatula press this puree through a sieve.

7. Transfer the sieved puree into a bowl and smooth the top. When it is cool, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight .