Chicken liver & pineau pâté

Chicken liver & pineau pâté

A rich, sweet pâté recipe using pineau - a sherry-like aperitif - great as a dinner party starter.

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6-8 as a snack or starter

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 10 mins

Plus chilling
Freezable

Method

  1. Rinse the chicken livers and cut away any dark patches and small stringy threads. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat 25g of the butter in a frying pan until foaming, then add the lardons or bacon and fry until crisp. Add the garlic, chicken livers and thyme and fry briskly for about 5 mins, until they are evenly browned. They should be nicely browned on the outside, but pink inside and should feel squashy when pressed.
  2. Add the pineau, salt and pepper, then bubble for a few mins. Remove from the heat. Blitz the mixture in a food processor until smooth, then spoon into a jar or dish. Smooth the top.
  3. Melt the remaining butter, put a herb sprig or bay leaf on top of the pâté and pour over the butter, leaving the sediment behind. Leave to cool, then chill until set.4 Serve spooned from the dish with toasted brioche, a bowl of cornichons and a little sea salt.

Per serving

263 kcalories, protein 18g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 20 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 0g, salt 0.95 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2005.

BBC Good Food shows - Book tickets now

Latest comments and suggestions

  • 19 December 2007

    Flossie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This really is very tasty and better than any shop bought. Easy to make

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 28 April 2008

    Jules rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I make this all the time, it is very tasty and simple to make. Everyone keeps asking for the recipe.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 05 May 2008

    Karen E commented on this recipe

    Absolutely delicious. A sure-fire hit. I'm taking orders to make again and again.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 20 May 2008

    .:sarah:. rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was so tasty. Did however add 1 whole chopped onion and lots of extra herbs (rosemary and chives plus dried mixed herbs) Everyone was very impressed definitly as winner!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 31 August 2008

    Helen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was easy to make and absolutley delicious. I made it for a dinner party starter and everyone loved it. I served it in a fairly shallow dish rather than a jar and I found that I used slightly more butter than was left to seal the top. I will make this again.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 30 April 2009

    AlgarveNess rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The best chicken pate recipe I have come across, very easy and quick. I have altered slightly with 3 cloves of garlic instead of 1, also half teaspoon of dried aromatic herbs & half teaspoon of dried bay powder. But apart from keeping an eye on the livers as not to overcook this is really easy and great for 4 small pate pots.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 23 May 2009

    Julie commented on this recipe

    Really looking forward to having a go but can not find "Pineau" anywhere. I live in london, wimbledon area, has anyone any ideas on where I can find it.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 28 May 2009

    RioRita commented on this recipe

    Julie, you can use sherry if you can't find Pineau.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 04 June 2009

    CloClo rated this recipe

    5 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 04 July 2009

    Thirstyann commented on this recipe

    Pineau is like a sherry that they make in the south of france in the Charentes. but you can buy it in this country in some waitrose supermarkets.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 19 July 2009

    sandra commented on this recipe

    This was the first time I made this recipe it came out brilliant and very tasty, I did not have any sherry so I used brandy... I was wondering if it is possible to freeze the pate??

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 22 September 2009

    Zoreh commented on this recipe

    I have not made this recipe yet, but to answer the last reviewer's question, yes, I have frozen a very similar home-made chicken liver pate before. It was just fine.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6-8 as a snack or starter

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 10 mins

Plus chilling
Freezable

Make ahead

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken livers
  • 100g butter
  • 100g unsmoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon
  • 1 garlic clove , crushed or finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
  • 5 tbsp pineau or sherry
  • herb sprigs to garnish, rosemary, thyme or bay
  • toasted brioche or raisin bread and cornichons, to serve
Send to a friend Print this recipe Add to your binder

Per serving

263 kcalories, protein 18g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 20 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 0g, salt 0.95 g

Kodak

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

  • You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
Find more recipes at Good Food channel

All about Good Food

Magazine

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - enjoy inspired recipes delivered straight to your door every month.

Order today, receive your first 3 issues for just £3.

Events

BBC Good Food shows

Join us in Birmingham, London or Glasgow in November!

Plan your trip and book tickets online now.

On TV

Foodie TV

Good Food Channel - see your favourite chefs on Sky Channel 249, Virgin TV 260.

See all TV listings at radiotimes.com, see all goodfoodchannel.co.uk

listings.

Websites

Shopping Tried and tested recipes from Good Food and olive magazines. bbcgoodfood.com
Shopping

Recipes from the new TV channel and celebrity chefs. goodfoodchannel.co.uk