Vietnamese Chicken Liver Pate Recipes

CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion and chicken livers. Reduce heat to low, and simmer approximately 10 minutes, until chicken livers are tender and no longer pink.
• Place chicken liver mixture in a blender with dry sherry, cream cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours before serving.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Wash the chicken livers and remove any excess white or yellow membrane. Wash again. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the chicken livers and mix thoroughly.
• Pour enough milk over the livers to cover. Refrigerate overnight. (Note: Soaking the chicken livers overnight in milk reduces the strength of liver flavor. I recommend to include this step.).
• The next day, rinse the livers and chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.
• Saute one small diced onion and six cloves of garlic. Don't worry if they aren't too uniform as everything gets pureed anyway.
• When the onions have slightly softened, add the chopped livers and 1/2 cup white wine OR 1 tablespoon cognac.
• Saute until cooked and continue simmering for another 5 minutes or so until liquid reduces. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Set mixture aside to slightly cool.
• After alowing the mixture to cool a bit then puree in a food processor along with one stick (8 tablespoons) of butter. The heat of the warm mix will melt the butter and allow easy incorporation. Process until smooth. Pour mixture into ramekins lightly coated with butter.
• Add just enough butter to coat the top of each container to prevent drying of the surface of the pate. Note: it is best to melt the butter at its lowest possible temperature, this will prevent re-liquefying of the pate and then pour this on as a thin layer on top of the pate in the dishes. Store refrigerated.
• IMPORTANT NOTES: Regular butter to seal the Pate will need to be brought to room temperature to allow the butter seal to be spreadable. For food safety, the Pate must not be unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours in total time after cooking. This means if it is brought out of the fridge for use then returned, It is only safe for a total sum of two hours out of the fridge. If it's during hot weather or a very warm room {more than 90F}, then this time must be reduced to one hour. It is best to cut off a segment and place it on a serving dish returning the sealed unused portion immediately to the refrigerator to eliminated the doubt. The pate will keep in the fridge for five days. It may be stored frozen for 1 month. Make sure that the pate is covered if returned to the fridge after the butter seal has been cut.
• ONE MORE NOTE: After cooking, liver tends to turn a pasty gray and ashen color which is quite unappealing. Add a few drops of red food coloring for aesthetics, if desired.

15-MINUTE CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of the butter until soft.
• Add chicken livers, herbs, salt and pepper and cook until livers are pink inside.
• Add brandy, cream and the rest of the butter; puree until smooth in a food processor.
• Transfer to terrine, cover and chill.
• Serve with crostini and crackers.

CHICKEN LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• Put the onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Transfer to a large bowl and add the pork fatback, chicken livers, ground pork and beef, eggs, Cognac, pepper, salt, and five-spice powder. Mix well with a rubber spatula.
• Working in batches, grind the ingredients in the food processor to a fine, smooth, light tan mixture, transferring each batch to another bowl as it is ready. Each batch will take a few minutes, and you will have to pause occasionally to scrape down the sides. When all the ingredients have been ground, beat them with the spatula to blend well. If you want to check the seasoning, sauté a spoonful in a little skillet until it is well done, let cool, taste, and then correct if necessary.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil and lower the heat to keep it hot.
• Butter a 6-cup loaf pan. Pour in the pâté mixture and smooth the top with the spatula. Bang the pan on the countertop or table to remove air bubbles. Center the bay leaves on top of the paté. Butter a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the top of the pâté and place it, buttered side down, over the paté. Then cover the pâté with aluminum foil, allowing a 1-inch overhang. Place the loaf pan in a baking or roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake the paté for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature registers about 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove the baking pan from the oven and set the paté aside to cool for 1 hour. Place a twin pan (or board) and a 5-pound weight, such as a brick or a few food cans, directly on top of the paté; this compacts it and creates a smooth texture. When the paté is completely cool, remove the weight. Refrigerate it and let it mature for 1 or 2 days.
• To serve, unmold the cold pâté, removing and discarding the foil and parchment paper. Cut the pâté into thin slices or a thick slab. Blot away the juices with paper towels and then lay the slices or slab on a serving plate. Let the paté come to room temperature before serving. You can include it in a Western-style charcuterie spread, or use it in your next Vietnamese baguette sandwich. The paté keeps well in the refrigerator for 10 days. I advise against freezing it, however, as it turns soggy.
• FINDING FATBACK
• Pork fatback is an old-fashioned cooking fat that can be difficult to find. Your best bet is to go to a market that caters to a porkloving clientele, such as an Asian or Mexican market. The fatback may not be in the meat case, but just ask the butcher for it. At my local Mexican market, the butcher is always tickled by my request for grasa (fat). He proudly emerges from the cooler with a thick piece with the cuero (skin) still attached.
• To ensure that I have a supply if fatback on hand, I buy a pound or two. I set aside the portion I am using immediately and then I divide the remaining fat into pieces the size of a deck of playing cards (about two ounces), wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze them all in a zip-top plastic bag. Fatback will keep in the freezer for up to nine months. Before using or freezing fatback, remove any skin, if necessary. A little meat attached is fine.

COLLEEN'S CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Steps:

• Combine chicken livers and milk in a bowl. Let soak in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove chicken livers from the milk with a slotted spoon; add to the saucepan with balsamic vinegar and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken livers are tender and no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer chicken liver mixture to a food processor. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns and Scotch; blend until smooth. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and pulse until fully incorporated into the mixture.
• Divide blended mixture evenly among 6 porcelain ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours.

CURRIED CHICKEN LIVER PâTé

Steps:

• Cook onion in 4 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in livers, curry powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until livers are barely pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add brandy. Purée warm mixture in a food processor with remaining butter until smooth. Pour into a 3 1/2-cup terrine and cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours.