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Jar of country pate

I just love this wonderfully tender and delicately flavoured pate.

Irish lambs liver is available from early spring through to the end of the summer and is just perfect for this dish. It is also very cheap – buy the freshest you can find. A little of this goes a long way, especially when you serve it with some crisp toasts and a dollop of my apricot chutney.

Ingredients

  • serves: 4 - 6
  • time: N/A
  • oven temp: N/A°C / N/A°F
Jar of country pate
  • 400 g/14 oz lambs liver, thinly sliced and cut into strips
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
  • 50 g/2 oz plain flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 350 g/12 oz butter (at room temperature)
  • 6 tbsp brandy, plus a little extra if necessary
  • 100 g/4 oz clarified butter
  • about 8 tbsp apricot chutney
  • 8-12 slices Dunbrody caramelised onion crostini
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Jar of country pate

Heat a large frying pan until searing hot. Place the lambs liver in a bowl with the onion and chives. Sprinkle over the flour and season to taste, then mix until well combined. Add the olive oil and a knob of the butter to the pan and then tip in the lambs liver mixture. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the lambs liver is well sealed and lightly browned all over.

Pour the brandy over the lambs liver mixture and set alight, then use to deglaze the bottom of the pan by scraping off any sediment with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a food processor and add the remaining butter, then blitz until smooth. Season to taste and add another dash of brandy if you think it needs it.

Pour the country pate into a 900 ml/1 1/2 pint kilner jar, tapping it gently on the work surface to ensure that it settles evenly and to remove any tiny air bubbles. Leave to cool completely and then pour over the clarified butter to seal completely. Close the jar and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight is best to firm up.

To Serve

Spoon the country pate on to serving plates and add a dollop of the apricot chutney and a couple of slices of the crostini.