A page from the living cookbook

Valerie’s Chicken Liver Pâté

Shared by Jennifer Benyon Tinker

Valerie was married to my ex-husband’s uncle, Nick, and they lived in the South of France. They had a villa high up on the outskirts of Saint-Raphaël and later moved to Cannes Marina when Uncle Nick developed dementia. Valerie was a good cook and did a lot of entertaining, but unfortunately this is the only recipe I have from her.

Starter

Recipe by Valerie · Published · Updated

The story

“Valerie was married to my ex-husband’s uncle, Nick, and they lived in the South of France. They had a villa high up on the outskirts of Saint-Raphaël and later moved to Cannes Marina when Uncle Nick developed dementia. Valerie was a good cook and did a lot of entertaining, but unfortunately this is the only recipe I have from her.”

This recipe now belongs to every family who cooks it.

The method

  1. 1Soften the chopped onion and garlic in half the butter for about 5 minutes.
  2. 2Add the chicken livers, chopped bacon, bay leaf and optional mixed herbs. Cook thoroughly: use a clean probe thermometer to check that the centre of the thickest livers reaches 70°C and stays at that temperature for at least 2 minutes. Cook the bacon through too. Do not rely on the original five-minute timing alone.
  3. 3Remove and discard the bay leaf. Allow the mixture to cool briefly, then blend to your preferred coarse or smooth texture.
  4. 4Melt the remaining butter and blend it in with the brandy. Season to taste. Transfer to a clean container, cool promptly and refrigerate within two hours. Serve chilled.

Cook's notes & swaps

A little help from the OPR kitchen

These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.

A cooking safety update

The submitted recipe says to cook the livers for a further five minutes. We have replaced that timing with a checked core temperature: 70°C for at least 2 minutes, following Food Standards Agency guidance. Chicken livers must be cooked through. https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/cooking-your-food

Jennifer’s flexible version

This is a very flexible recipe, and without blending it makes a good lunchtime dish. I do not add the mixed herbs, but that is just a personal choice. I use a stick blender, but again anything goes, and you can make it as coarse or smooth as you like. Chicken livers usually come prepacked, so again it doesn’t have to be exact. It also freezes well, so it is handy to make a double batch and put some in the freezer.

Make ahead

Keep refrigerated and use within 48 hours, or freeze promptly in portions. Jennifer often makes a double batch to freeze. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of fully defrosting. Contains milk; check bacon and other ingredient labels for additional allergens.

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