Liver Pâté

Ingredients

• 1 lbs/500g liver (chicken, beef, poultry etc.)
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup onions
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee

Method

Liver pâté is a offal dish that depends on two things: purging the liver of its blood and bitter compounds, then emulsifying it into a smooth paste. The membrane and vessels must go — they won't break down in a food-processor and will ruin the texture with gritty, chewy fibres.

Start with beef or chicken liver. If using beef, peel away the membrane with your fingers — it comes free if you work from the thinner edges. Pick out the vessels running through it (they're the stringy pale bits); a small knife helps here. Cut the liver into 2cm cubes. Cover with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and bring to a rolling boil. The boiling denatures the proteins and releases blood and myoglobin into the water. After 10 minutes, pour into a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear and the liver cubes are pale. This blanching step is non-negotiable — skipping it leaves a metallic, bitter aftertaste.

While the liver cools, trim and roughly chop the onions and carrots. Dice them small so they cook through without taking on colour. Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the vegetables with a pinch of salt. Stew gently, stirring every minute or so, until they soften completely — about 8 to 10 minutes. They should be translucent and yielding, not caramelised. If the pan dries out, add a tablespoon of water. The vegetables will break down faster and blend more smoothly if they're fully tender.

Put the blanched, cooled liver into the food-processor along with the stewed vegetables and their cooking liquid. Add 2 grams of nutmeg (freshly grated if you have it — ground nutmeg dulls quickly). Pulse until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. The texture should be uniform and mousse-like, with no visible lumps or grain. Add the remaining butter in small pieces and pulse again to incorporate. If the mixture is too thick or grainy, add a tablespoon of stock or water to loosen it.

Pass the pâté through a fine sieve if you want an almost silky finish, pressing with the back of a spoon. This removes any stubborn fibres the processor missed. Pack into a terrine or crock, smooth the top, and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. A thin layer of clarified butter on top protects it and adds gloss.