Duck liver pâté

I served this New Year's Eve 2015 and could not believe how delicious it is made from our own ducks! We will likely smoke a couple of the small ducks and make sausage from any of the older ones. Yum! This recipe makes 6 small ramekins of pâté.

1/2 lb duck livers (you can use chicken livers but will not be as smooth)
1/2 lb butter
2 Tbsp brandy
2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp dried mace
small handful of fresh thyme
2 Tbsp ginger syrup (from candied ginger recipe)
salt & pepper

Slowly melt about 3 Tbsp of the butter in a medium sized, heavy fry pan. Fry the duck livers over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning them frequently. Remove to the food processor with a slotted spoon.

Over low heat, gently melt 1/2 cup of the remaining butter then add to food processor. Pour the brandy over the pan to deglaze and capture all the fabulous flavours and pour into the food processor. Add the mustard, mace, 2 Tbsp thyme leaves (reserve the tips for garnish), ginger syrup, salt and pepper.

Let stand 10 minutes, then purée until smooth and velvety .

Divide between ramekins, smoothing out the top and wiping the edges clean. Melt the remaining 5 Tbsp of the butter, and pour over each ramekin to seal, press in a sprig of thyme and refrigerate until cold. Cover with lids or saran. Take them out of the fridge about an hour before serving to come to room temperature. 


Pâté only lasts in the fridge a short time, so freeze what you don't plan to use over two or three days. I usually do half the pâté in freezer-safe covered mini containers to keep for another party.

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