Czech Christmas Shells

Method

• step 1

  Boil the pork without salt until cooked - around 1 hour for a kg. Remove from the liquid and chop the meat up.

• step 2

  Add the chicken livers to the liquid and cook through. Remove from the stock.

• step 3

  Make a roux with the butter and flour, and then add the liquid stock - sufficient to make a thick sauce.

• step 4

  Chop up the livers, meat and anchovies keeping the mix relatively coarse.

• step 5

  Once the sauce is cold, add the 4 egg yolks and stir them through thoroughly.

• step 6

  Add the meat and anchovies to the sauce, together with the lemon juice.

• step 7

  Add white wine, salt and pepper to taste.

• step 8

  Leave overnight, and readjust the seasoning as required.

• step 9

  Take the scallop shells (or ramekins if using these), and butter them thoroughly. Cover the buttered surface with dried breadcrumbs before filling the shells with a generous amount of the pate mix.

• step 10

  Finish with a small knob of butter, then place on baking sheets into the oven, 220C / fan 200C / gas 7, for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.