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Duck liver pate in a dish next to a butter knife and a piece of toast.

How To Make Duck Liver Pâté

Rosanna Stevens
How to make a quick and easy Duck Liver Pâté recipe from the giblets of your roasting bird.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, canapes, Snack
Cuisine French
Servings 2 people
Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients
 

For the duck liver pate

  • 1 duck liver
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ shallot
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme or ¼ dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon sweet fortified wine e.g. vermouth, sweet sherry, port, or Madeira
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream or double cream
  • salt and pepper

For the clarified butter topping

  • 3 tablespoon Butter unsalted, with high-fat content

Instructions
 

  • Check the duck liver for any sinews and trim them out with a small, sharp knife if needed. Dice and shallot and garlic.
  • Heat a small saucepan over medium and add the butter. Once it is melted and bubbling, add the shallot, garlic, thyme, and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent.
  • Add the duck liver and sear on either side for 20 seconds before adding the wine and allowing it to simmer down to a syrup.
  • Stir through the cream, and then remove from the heat. Take out the thyme sprig.
  • Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a mini food processor and blending until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
  • Transfer the duck liver pate into a shallow dish and smooth off the surface so it is completely flat.
  • Heat the remaining butter in a small saucepan until it melts and the butter solids separate and sink to the bottom. Very carefully to not disturb/include the butter solids, pour or spoon the clarified butter onto the pate to form a seal, and refrigerate to allow it to set.

Notes

One duck liver weighs around 60 grams or 2 ounces.  I'd say that one duck liver will serve 2-3 people as a pre-dinner snack with some toast or with salad and bread for a light lunch, as it is very rich. 
If you are spreading it onto small crostini to make canapes, it could make 10-15. 
You can swap duck liver for chicken liver or goose liver in this recipe, too. 
I use sweet wine to add depth of flavor and a small amount of sugar as liver can have a slightly bitter taste. Some recipes add tomato paste, but I think this masks the taste of the liver. You could substitute the wine for a pinch of sugar. 

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 6gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 206mgSodium: 221mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 10921IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 8mg
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