Chicken Liver Pate

Some of the best "chopped liver on rye" were lunch time treats in Washington DC, or New York City. I used to think that making chicken liver pate was a complex recipe for gourmet cooks or Jewish sandwich makers. So I never thought of attempting something so delicate - so I thought - at home. But recently, I have started taking chickens on a monthly basis from a small farmer who lives in my valley. These chickens are grown a few weeks longer than the supermarket or fast food bird. They are heftier, with meaty chests, harder bones and do not melt in the pot. Their livers are firm and intact - I've fried them and use them to make this delicious pate. This recipe is based on one that I found at Epicurious.com (Gourmet November 2003) and calls for bourbon at the end. I use Trinidad rum instead.

Chicken liver pate on crusty bread; slices of sweet tomato on the side

Butter, three to four ounces (one stick) and two ounces
Onion, one large, finely chopped
Thyme, leaves off a sprig of fresh fine thyme
Hot pepper, small piece
Chicken livers and hearts, from eight birds (or six to nine)
Rum, three to five tablespoons

Marinade:
Ginger, a piece size of your thumbnail, finely chopped
Garlic, one clove
Salt, half teaspoon or to taste
Brown sugar, one tablespoon
Soy sauce, two to three tablespoons

Rinse livers and set aside. Remove outer membranes and veins from hearts and cut in two to remove any clotted blood. Put livers and hearts in a bowl with marinade and refrigerate overnight or for 24 hours.

When you are ready to cook, have ready two terrines or crock pots.

Heat three or four ounces of butter until melted. Cook onion until soft, about five minutes; add pepper and thyme. Saute livers and hearts with marinade, until they are cooked but not hard, about eight minutes. Cool uncovered, then add rum.

Puree until just smooth - don't over chop. Transfer to crock pots and smooth the tops. Melt two ounces of butter, allow to cool, then spoon the clarified butter to cover the tops of each pate.

Refrigerate until firm. Cover (with plastic wrap) - the pate may be kept up to two weeks in the refrigerator; one week after breaking the butter seal. Serve on crisp French bread or crackers.

The seal of melted butter is broken to get to the pate below.

Liver pate on crusty bread; a few slices of vine ripened tomato and a glass of wine