Recipes

Chicken Liver Pate with Blackberry Chutney

Making your own party canapés needn’t be fiddly. The pate can be made in less than 15 minutes the day before then simply spread on toasted ciabatta and topped with a little watercress and a spoonful of this very moreish blackberry chutney.

Serves 8

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 26-32 minutes

Chilling time: 3 hours or overnight

Pate

250g (9oz) pack frozen chicken livers, defrosted

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

25g (1 oz) butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp brandy

150ml (1/4 pint) chicken stock

Little salt

½ tsp roughly crushed black peppercorns

Chutney

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced

50g (2 oz) light muscovado sugar

3 tbsp cider vinegar

150g (5oz) blackberries

To serve

1 ciabatta bread

Handful watercress

1      To make the pate, add the chicken livers to a sieve, rinse with cold water, drain well then tip out on to a chopping board. Roughly chop, discarding any central white cores.

2      Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened and just beginning to turn golden. Add the butter, heat until melted then mix in the garlic and chicken livers. Fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring until the livers are browned but still pink in the centre.

3      Add the brandy, heat until bubbling, then flame with a lit taper or long match. Stand well back until the flames subside, then stir in the stock, salt and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until some of the stock has evaporated. Allow to cool then blitz in a food processor or liquidiser until smooth. Spoon into a dish, cover and transfer to the fridge when cool enough. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

4      To make the chutney, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring until softened. Stir in the sugar and fry for 5-10 more minutes, stirring more frequently until the onions are caramelised.

5      Mix in the vinegar, blackberries and a little salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes until the blackberries are just cooked through. Take off the heat, spoon into a clip jar, cover and leave to cool.

6      To serve, slice and toast the bread, cut each slice in half again then spread with the chilled pate, a leaf or two of watercress and a generous teaspoonful of the chutney. Arrange on a large plate and serve with drinks.

Tip: Store any leftover chutney in the fridge as it has only small amounts of vinegar and sugar.