Chicken Liver Pâté

Blended smooth to spread on bread or crackers, it's a hit at parties.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 1 pound chicken livers
• Kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup cream

Directions

Trim the connective tissue and fat:

Trim any fat or connective tissue from the livers and discard.

Brown the butter:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat and let the butter brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let it burn.

Sauté the shallots and livers:

Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the livers. Be sure to space them well in the pan so they can brown more easily. Sprinkle salt over the livers. Flip the livers when one side browns, about 2 minutes.

Add the capers, thyme, garlic, and anchovy paste:

Once the livers have browned, add the capers, thyme, garlic, and anchovy paste if using, and sauté another minute.

Deglaze the pan with brandy:

Take the pan off the heat and add the brandy. (Be careful when you return it to the heat, as it could flame up, especially if you are using a gas range. If it does, cover the pan for a moment.) Increase the heat to high and let the brandy boil and reduce to the consistency of syrup, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Purée in a food processor:

Put the mixture into a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to combine. Add the remaining butter and the cream and purée. The mixture will look a little loose, but it will firm up in the fridge.

Place into ramekins and chill:

Pack the pâté into ramekins or a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.

The pâté will last a week or so in the fridge. If you want to preserve it for up to a month, pour a little melted lard or clarified butter on top to seal. Each time you dip into the pâté, you will need to reseal the top to preserve it.