Equipment
Ingredients
chicken liver pâté
- 20 ml olive oil
- 2 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic, thinly sliced
- 450 g chicken livers, deveined
- 120 ml port
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
- 1 g sugar
- 250 g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1 curing salt
beans
- 15 ml olive oil
- 450 g pole beans, trimmed
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 g sea salt
- 1 g cracked black pepper
crostini
- 14 crusty bread, thinly sliced
- 30 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 641 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 47 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 384 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 299 mg
- Potassium
- 610 mg
- Calcium
- 150 mg
- Iron
- 9.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 333 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 2373 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 32 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 13 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 10.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.48 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.27 mg
- Niacin
- 7.4 mg
- Folate
- 489 mcg
- Water
- 107 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 20ml olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced shallots and sliced garlic. Sauté until softened.
Add 450g chicken livers to the pan. Cook until the livers reach medium-rare (approx 68°C/155°F).
Pour 120ml port into the pan. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
Transfer the liver mixture to a food processor. While the machine is running, gradually add 250g chilled butter cubes and optional curing salt. Blend until smooth.
Press the pâté through a fine-mesh sieve into a container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Heat 15ml olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add 450g pole beans and sauté until lightly browned.
Add sliced scallion and 1 clove of garlic to the beans. Cook until the scallions wilt. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Brush 14 bread slices with olive oil. Toast in a hot skillet or on a grill until golden brown on both sides.
Plate the warm beans. Serve with two slices of crostini and a portion of the chilled chicken liver pâté.
Chef's Notes
- For the smoothest pâté, ensure your chicken livers are thoroughly cleaned and free of any connective tissue. Overcooking them before blending can lead to a grainy texture.
- When emulsifying the butter into the pâté, make sure both the butter and the liver mixture are cold. This helps create a stable emulsion and a luxurious mouthfeel.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when sautéing the pole beans. Cooking them in batches if necessary will ensure they get nicely browned rather than steamed, developing better flavor.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at each stage. The port reduction can concentrate flavors, so a final seasoning check before serving is crucial.
- The pâté can be made a day in advance, allowing the flavors to meld. Ensure it's well-covered to prevent drying out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pâté in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap pressed against the surface.
Freezer: 1 month — Pâté can be frozen but texture may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Serve pâté chilled; reheat beans in a pan over medium heat.
Troubleshooting
Pâté is grainy or the fat has separated
Cause: Butter was added while the liver mixture was too hot, or added too quickly.
Fix: Blend in a small amount of cold heavy cream to re-emulsify.
Prevention: Ensure the liver reduction has cooled slightly before blending and add butter cubes one at a time.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from classic French charcuterie, particularly the tradition of preparing smooth, rich pâtés as elegant appetizers. The combination of chicken liver pâté with simply prepared vegetables and toasted bread is a refined yet accessible way to showcase quality ingredients.
