A Smooth And Creamy Pâté Recipes

CREAMY CHICKEN LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• In a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder, combine peppercorns, allspice, clove and coriander seeds; grind until fine and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; when foam subsides, add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add livers to pan and sprinkle with salt; cook livers on one side until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes, then flip them and cook the other side. Be sure to keep heat relatively high so that the outside of livers sears and inside stays pink.
• Put onion, livers and their buttery juices into a food processor or blender with remaining butter, the cream, spices and brandy. Purée mixture until it is smooth; taste and adjust seasoning.
• Put pâté in a terrine or bowl, smooth top and put in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or until fully set. Serve pâté with bread or crackers.

A SMOOTH AND CREAMY PâTé

Steps:

• Trim livers of little sinews or dark spots. Place in a bowl and add milk to cover. Set aside 30 minutes.
• Melt one-third of the softened butter, about 2 1/2 tablespoons, in a shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Drain livers. When butter starts to foam, slip livers into pan (they will spit) and sauté quickly, turning once, until lightly crusted and golden outside and cooked but still pink in the center.
• Place contents of pan, remaining softened butter, cream and salt and pepper into a blender or food processor and purée.
• Bring brandy to a boil in the skillet, add to the blender or food processor and briefly process again. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, remembering that the pâté will be served chilled so the seasoning will not be as strong.
• Pass pâté through a fine sieve into a bowl, fold in green peppercorns if desired, then transfer to a ceramic terrine or serving bowl. Smooth top and refrigerate for 30 minutes, uncovered. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter and skim off solids.
• Pour clarified butter over pâté to seal top, cover with plastic wrap, and return to refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.

CREAMY VEGAN MUSHROOM PâTé

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat, and fry the mushrooms for 15-20 mins until very soft, and any liquid that's been released has evaporated. Stir in the garlic, 1 tbsp thyme leaves, 1 tsp sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper, and cook for 3 mins more. Leave to cool slightly.
• Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor and blitz to a thick paste. Add 100ml soya cream, then blitz again until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as you go. You may need to add up to 50ml more cream. Season to taste, then spoon into a serving dish or bowl and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Drizzle over enough olive oil to coat the top of the pâté - it should be just enough to stop it drying out. Cover and chill for 2 hrs until firm. Will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.
• To make the walnuts, put the sugar in a medium heavy-based frying pan with 1 tsp water, and stir to dissolve. Bring to a medium-high heat and bubble for 10 mins without stirring until the sugar has melted and turned into a golden caramel. Stir in the nuts, 2 tsp thyme leaves and a pinch of sea salt, then tip onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and leave to cool. Once cool and set, bash or break into chunks.
• To serve, spread the pâté over the sourdough toast, then cut into bite-sized squares. Top with dollops of chutney and the candied walnuts.

CREME PATISSIERE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl. Add flour, and mix until smooth and free of lumps.
• Thin egg-yolk mixture with approximately 1/4 cup of warm milk. When remaining milk begins to boil, add it to egg-yolk mixture, and stir well. Return to saucepan, and place over high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 1 minute. (Turning the pan as you whisk helps to easily reach all areas of pan.)
• Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking constantly, until cream becomes shiny and easier to stir, about 2 minutes more. Pour into a bowl, and stir in vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, and allow to cool.