La
Lama Mountain Ovens
Old Italian family recipes and archives, baking tips, and
bakery gifts
Family Secrets
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La
Lama Mountain Ovens |
The best of the recipes, techniques, and methods practiced by our large extended Italian-American family - with emphasis on the legacy handed down to us by the original immigrants. This is a cookbook-in-process project. If you try any of these recipes please let us know how they turn out, whether or not you had any difficulties, and any clarifying improvements you might recommend to make them foolproof. We will of course acknowledge genuine "test-kitchen" assistance. |
Family Secrets #53Brandied Chicken Liver Pâté By Ray Zara, La Lama Mountain Ovens |
Some years ago I was invited to attend one of many bon voyage parties held for my brother Bill and his wife Marie. They were avid cruisers, so these parties were held rather frequently. This particular party was hosted by Marie's cousin, Freddie (Flip) Mammone. Flip had a well deserved reputation for hosting gourmet caliber dinner and cocktail parties, and it was at this bon voyage party that I had the good fortune to sample his Chicken Liver Pâté ala Remy Martin. I asked him if he would share the recipe for this outstanding pâté, and he quite graciously agreed. The recipe has been part of our family's repertoire for a number of years and has served me well when asked to provide a dish for a cocktail party or as an appetizer for a dinner party. |
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though we all know that the French are masters of pâté, the French approach is much more
involved both in terms of ingredients and method. Italian cuisine has a long history of
using every part of the chicken including the liver. The livers are incorporated into
risotto, various stuffings, and simply sautéed with peppers. While day to day cooking
does not usually include antipasti, this recipe would easily be found on an antipasti
plate for a celebratory dinner. Whether the final destination of the pâté is for an antipasta course or as an hor d'oeuvre for a cocktail party, or just some great snack food to enjoy while watching the "Sopranos" on HBO, the beauty of the recipe is that it is made the day before you need it, which does wonders for your kitchen timing. Unlike many pâté recipes which can be rather involved, you will find this one is a study in simplicity. The most difficult things you will have to deal with are making a "bouquet garni" and choosing an appropriate mold to finish the pâté. I personally prefer using a standard ceramic 12" x 4" pâté mold, however, you can be as creative as you like with your choice. A bouquet garni is used in recipes that call for the flavors of various herbs but do not want the herbs themselves present in the finished product. A very simple way to make this is to take a combination of various fresh herbs and tie them together with a piece of kitchen string. This method is generally used in making soups or stews, and if a few leaves of herbs become detached it is no big deal. However, for our pâté recipe we will want the flavor of the bouquet garni and absolutely none of the herbs themselves. We accomplish this by taking the combination of herbs and placing them on a double layer of rinsed cheesecloth. Place the herbs in the center of a cheesecloth square. Then bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and twist until a firm ball is formed. Tie the twisted part of the cheesecloth with kitchen string, and with a pair of scissors trim off excess cheesecloth and string. _______________________________________ Brandied Chicken Liver Pâté Total Ingredients |
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Step One: Prepare the chicken livers Place the chicken livers in a strainer to remove any liquid that they may be packed in. Rinse well with cold water. Trim any balls of fat that may be present and any obvious sinews Step Two: Cook chicken livers Place 2 ounces of the butter in a heavy bottomed, 12 inch sauté pan. Over medium heat add diced onions and minced garlic. As soon as the onions turn translucent add salt, pepper, bouquet garni and chicken livers. Cook the livers until well browned, about 4 minutes. Do not overcook or you will have that disgusting dried-out livery taste we all hate. Shut heat off and move bouquet garni to the center of the sauté pan. Pile cooked chicken livers on top of it, forming a pile. Let rest for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Remove bouquet garni and squeeze it to remove all liquid then discard the herb ball. Step Three: Process the pâté Place entire contents of sauté pan into food processor. Pulse the processor in two bursts, 8 to 10 seconds per burst. Add Liquor and the rest of the butter cut into chunks. Pulse briefly once or twice. Be careful at this point not to over process the pâté and liquefy it. You only want to process it until the desired thick-creamy texture is achieved. Remove contents of the processor into a bowl and gently fold with a spatula until all of the butter is creamed into the mixture. Step Four: Mold the pâté Line the mold of your choice with plastic wrap. Placed creamed pâté in mold and smooth out the top. Wrap the entire mold in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
To complete the presentation, a small bowl of finely minced red onion and a bowl of giardenera or cornichons are appropriate. Altitude Adjustment: None. |
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When ready to
serve, unwrap