Chicken Liver Parfait
Ingredients
- 450g chicken livers
- 4 tablespoons each port and Madeira
- 1 large banana shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- A generous shot of brandy
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 400g unsalted butter, cut into small dice
- 5 free-range eggs
- Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Method
Trim the livers and soak for five hours in a half-and-half mixture of milk and water with a teaspoon of salt. Dry well.
Boil the Madeira, port, shallot and thyme in a small saucepan until reduced by half, add the brandy and garlic and boil for a few seconds more. Allow to cool.
Melt the butter in a separate saucepan without letting it boil.
Purée the chicken livers in a blender for about half a minute, then gradually add the butter, the alcohol mixture, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into foil trays, leaving half an inch of clearance. Add lids, stand in a bain-marie and bake for 50 minutes at 150°C / gas mark 2.
Allow to cool and cover the top with a layer of melted butter to seal. Refrigerate for at least a day before serving. Freeze for up to three weeks.
From the September 2019 edition of the Churston Farm Shop recipe collection. View the original edition (PDF)