Melt in the Mouth Chicken Liver Pate

Ingredients

• 450 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 675 g chicken livers (cleaned i.e. remove any green bits)
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 3 tablespoons double cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper (to season)

Directions

1. 1

   Melt 20g butter in a large heavy-based pan , add onions and brown sugar, cover pan and sweat over a low heat for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Uncover pan, stir onions and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes or until they are soft and starting to colour.

3. 3

   Add another 100g of butter to the pan and allow it to melt.

4. 4

   Add chicken livers, garlic and thyme leaves and continue to cook on a medium heat, stirring every so often to ensure the mixture doesn't "catch" (stick or burn) until livers are no longer pink.

5. 5

   Transfer mixture to a food processor and leave to cool.

6. 6

   Add lemon juice to pan to deglaze and add to pate mixture.

7. 7

   Add remaining butter, cream, salt and pepper to the mixture and process until smooth.

8. 8

   Check seasoning and adjust as necessary.

9. 9

   If you like this consistency then all you need do is spoon the pate into a serving dish, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 3 hours. However I pass the pate through a fine metal mesh sieve before chilling it.

10. 10

    Serve with hot wholemeal toast, warm soda bread or crostini.