I first sampled this robust little starter on a trip to Italy last year. Served warm and full of flavour, I wasn’t entirely sure what it consisted of but it was cheap and delicious and I ended up ordering at almost every meal.
Don’t let the dull grey appearance of the paté fool you, this is a flavour smacking creation of tastiness. Served with some home-made Melba toast and a glass of wine its perfect comfort food for cold winter nights and an excellent authentic starter to an Italian meal.
You’ll Need:
Starter for 4-6 People
* 300g of chicken livers .
Chicken Livers can be a little hard to find but a good butcher should be able to order some in if they don’t normally carry them. I got mine from the local Butcher, Noel Kavanagh in Glasthule for the princely price of only €3.59.
* Large Glass of Red Wine
* 2 medium Red Onions. Most Tuscan Crostini Recipes call for white onions but I love the flavour of red.
* Olive oil
* 1 Cup of Chicken Stock
* Anchovies
* Butter
* Ground Black Pepper
Method:
Clean the chicken livers, chop into medium chucks and eliminate the fatty parts. Place the meat in a bowl and marinate in the Red Wine for at least 15 minutes.
Cut the onions in small pieces and fry it in a pot with a good dash of oil for about 10 minutes. Make sure to stir the onions regularly so as not to let them stick of crisp in the pan. You want them nice and soft.
When the onions are ready, take the liver out of the bowl and add it to the pan. Stir and let fry for 5 minutes.
Add a generous dash of Black Pepper then cover the mixture with the red wine used to marinate the meat. If the meat is not covered, add a little more red wine and let simmer for 20 minutes.
When the wine has evaporated, add chicken stock. Cover the mix and let cook until it has evaporated.
Put the meat in a blender and add the anchovies and a teaspoon of butter. Blend until the mix is smooth and suitable for spreading on bread.
Cheat’s Melba Toast
All you need is some slices of bread, a rolling-pin and a grill. Roll the bread out until it’s about half its original depth. Place under a medium grill and toast for 5 minutes. Then cut it into little triangles and serve with the warm chicken liver spread and buon appetito!
Entire cost of dish: Chicken Livers: €3.59, Anchovies: €1.89, 2 Onions 64c – everything else is a staple of the cupboard and I already had it in.
