Smokey Chicken Liver Pate with Bacon, Mushrooms and Sage
Liver pate is known to be an rich, indulgent french appetizer but it is in fact incredibly nutritious as well! Eating this pate is basically taking an incredibly high quality multivitamin, but better because liver is a whole food and the nutrients are more absorbable this way. I know liver can be hard to love the taste of but in this pate I promise it is super yummy!
Liver may just be the most nutrient dense food on the planet. Liver is high in lean protein, vitamin A, vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, riboflavin, zinc, iron, phosphorus and folic acid.
Vitamin A is essential for immune health, bones, teeth, healthy skin, reproduction and fetal development. Liver is a top source of Vitamin A along with cod liver oil.
Chicken liver has a milder liver taste, so it is great to start with chicken when incorporating liver into your diet.
Lamb liver may be the next mild in taste after chicken, then comes beef.
Nutrient levels vary slightly between liver sources but they are all very nutrient dense.
THE RECIPE
Makes 4 servings. feel free to double ingredients if you would like to make more, freezes well
PATE INGREDIENTS:
2 higher quality bacon strips, sliced
1 cup white or brown mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 small onion, diced
250-300 grams organic, pastured chicken livers, rinsed in cold water, cut off any stringy white bits
2 small garlic cloves, crushed or cut into half
2-3 fresh sage leaves, + more for garnish if you like
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
4 tbsp grass fed butter, divided or use ghee if you have it!
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
METHOD:
1. Sauté bacon, onion, and mushrooms with 1 tbsp of the butter in a large pan for 5 minutes
2. Add livers, garlic and fresh herbs, cook for another 5 minutes or until liver holds its shape but is still rosey (or internal temperature reaches 160f) avoid over cooking liver as taste will be stronger, more bitter, and your pate less smooth
3. After cooling for about 10 min, add to a food processor or blender with all the juices, blend until very smooth, season with lots of fresh pepper and sea salt to taste
4. Spoon your pate into 2 - 250ml wide mouth mason jars
5. Heat remaining butter in your smallest sauce pan until bubbles appear skim foam off the top and discard. You will be using the separated oil and leaving the milk solids clinging to the saucepan. Do not stir, just spoon out the golden brown liquid. You can use fine sieve if you want to be particular.
6. Garnish the top of your pate with additional fresh herbs or a few peppercorns, pour melted clarified butter over top evenly between jars, the butter acts as a seal, with the fat on top it will last longer, plus extra butter is delicious!
7. Refrigerate until set, a few hours or overnight.
Enjoy spread over crackers, toasted sourdough, or my sourdough discard crackers!
