Chicken Liver Pâté
INGREDIENTS
4 strips of bacon
1 1/2 cup leek greens, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
500g chicken liver
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp bone broth
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
METHOD
Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Once cooked, remove the bacon and set it aside for later. Keep the grease in the skillet (remove some if there is too much).
Add the leek and garlic to the hot skillet and briefly sauté them.
Move the greens to the side of the skillet and add the chicken livers. Drizzle over with the olive oil and cook for 4 minutes, or until brown on one side.
Flip the livers over and add the wine & dried herbs. Stir to combine everything. Cover the pan and reduce to a low heat. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for an additional 1 minute.
In a food processor, blend the liver mixture with the cooked bacon, bone broth, fresh herbs, and salt until it becomes a smooth mixture.
Portion the mixture into 4 small serving cups and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Consume the pâté within 4 days.
Serve the pâté as a delicious snack or light lunch with crackers, toast or crudités, for example, cucumbers, zucchini, apples, and pears.
Bon appétit! Served on my “Piano” canapé plate.
Butterbean Hummus
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 can of butter beans
3/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 fresh limes, juiced
A small bunch of fresh parsley
1 spring onion
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
If the consistency is too thick, add more oil or a splash of water to adjust.
Pour the hummus into a bowl or storage container and store it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
When ready, serve as a snack or light lunch with your choice of warm toast, crackers, or even chips.
Bon appetite! Served on my “La Boheme” canapé plate.
Kidney Bean Pâté
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 can of kidney beans
50g butter, softened
50g walnuts
3 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend them together until smooth.
Adjust seasoning to your taste.
If necessary, add more butter to make it more smooth and spreadable.
Serve on toast or your favourite crackers as a delicious snack or light lunch.
Bon appétit! Served on my “Piano” canapé plate.
Tuna Tapenade
INGREDIENTS
175 g green olives, pitted
4 anchovy fillets
1/2 can of tuna in oil
3 tbsp capers
25 ml extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender.
Transfer to a lidded container and place in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Serve with crackers or toast.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” canapé plate.
Lamb Rillet
INGREDIENTS
1 kg lamb culotte, leg, or shoulder without bone
1 tsp ground allspice
5 whole cloves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
5 whole black peppercorn
50 g black raisins
1 Christmas beer or any beer
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Remove any tendons from the lamb and cut the meat into cubes.
Put meat and the rest of the ingredients in a deep pot and cook on low heat until meat is tender - about one hour.
Strain the meat and keep the liquid. Set it aside in a bowl.
In another bowl, fork split the meat or split the meat in a hand mixer.
Taste with salt and pepper and add 1-2 dL of the strained liquid to the meat mixture.
Pour the rillet into a tray or form and cover it with the fat from the liquid.
Cover the form with foil or cling wrap and keep in the fridge.
Serve as a delicious Christmas snack with crackers or toast, pickles, and mustard.
Bon appétit! Served on my “Piano” canapé plates.
Liver Pâté
INGREDIENTS
300 g duck, turkey, or chicken liver
1 tbsp butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp marjoram
100g butter
3-4 tbsp cognac
METHOD
Fry the liver in 1 tablespoon butter together with the finely chopped shallot, garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper for only 1 minute. The liver should still be pink inside but not raw.
Turn off the heat and flambé the liver with cognac.
Let the liver cool a bit before blending it in the food processor together with the rest of the butter.
Add more cognac and salt and pepper if needed.
Fill in a deep dish and refrigerate for a couple of hours until cold and firm.
Decorate with almonds as desired.
Serve the pâté with crackers or toast, and pickles as one of my traditional Christmas lunch favourites.
Bon appétit! Served on my “La Bohème” canapé plates.