Baby's First Bites: Liver Pate
1 cup coconut oil duck fat, lard or bacon fat, divided, ghee
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 pound ox liver or beef liver
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of cooking fat over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until transparent and soft. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or so until garlic is fragrant and golden in color.
Slice the liver into thin strips. Push the onion and garlic over to the side of the pan and arrange the liver in a single layer. Sear it for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Transfer liver, onion, and garlic sauté to the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of fat.
Pulse to chop liver. Blend to combine. Add the remaining fat. Continue blending until smooth.
Put into an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
NOTES
Liver pate can be served right away, however, it’s best to let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.If you can, make it the day before so it chills overnight and all the flavors can meld together.
Alternate
¾ cup raw whole cashews, about 4 ounces
2 tablespoons coconut oil (I use this one for no coconut flavor or aroma) *
1 ½ cups chopped sweet onions (Vidalia)
1 ½ cups chopped tart apples, such as fuji or pink lady
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ pounds chicken livers, trimmed and any connective tissue removed**
½ cup white wine, such as Riesling or Chardonnay
¾ cup warm water
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup melted coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pour boiling water over the cashews and soak them on the counter while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly translucent. Add the apples, thyme, pepper, salt, and nutmeg and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, until the apples are very tender.
Rinse the livers and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add the livers to the pan and cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes on each side, until they are firm, greyish-brown on the outside, and still redish-purple on the inside.
Meanwhile, Drain the cashews and place them in a high-speed blender with the 3/4 cup warm water. Blend for 30 seconds to break up the cashews.
Add the mixture from the pan to the blender then return the pan to the burner over medium-high heat. Add the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Pour the wine into the blender and add the lemon juice. Blend on low for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and blend until smooth.
With the blender running, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup melted coconut oil. Continue blending until you have reached a very smooth consistency.
Pour the mousse into clean jars and allow to cool for 15 minutes before covering. Refrigerate at least overnight before consuming. The mousse will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, and also freezes well for 3 months.
notes: if you are not dairy-free, feel free to sub in grass-fed butter and cream for the coconut oil and cashews
Serving suggestions: Tart apples (pink lady, honey crisp, and fuji), Rosemary Raisin Crackers , Sweet Potato Chips, salami, prosciutto, grainy mustard, and pickled vegetables.
Alternate
500g organic duck livers
200g lard, melted
100ml cognac (worth buying a good bottle, as you will taste the difference)
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves only
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and pour in a generous amount of the lard – it should foam around the edges of the livers when added. Fry the liver in batches for about 2 minutes each side, until lightly coloured but pink on the inside. Spoon hot lard from the pan over any uneven areas that do not colour. Top up the lard in the pan with each batch. Remove and transfer to a bowl once cooked.
Add the shallot to the pan and fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute, then add the cognac (lift the pan up and away from the hob while you do this, to prevent the alcohol from catching fire). Let the alcohol burn off by bubbling steadily for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Check that the alcohol has burned off by smelling the rising fumes, then pour into the bowl, over the livers.
Pour the remaining lard into the bowl, and add the thyme, allspice, salt and pepper. Transfer to a food processor in batches, and blitz to a smooth consistency. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding more lard if you want a richer taste
Spoon into a serving dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour until set. The pate will keep well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. If you want to prolong the shelf life, melt some more lard and pour over the top to form a seal. If left unbroken, the pate will keep for 2 weeks in this state.
To serve, spread on thinly-sliced toast. For best results, remove from the refrigerator half an hour before serving.
