December 13, 2023

Bourbon-Spiked Paté

Paté isn’t for everyone but for the fans out there, Bourbon-Spiked Paté is calling your name. It’s amazingly creamy, silky, and delicious. It’s also a perfect holiday or potluck appetizer. And don’t forget the accoutrements to get the full paté experience – gluten free crackers or bagel chips (as I used), blackberry or blueberry jam, apple slices, honey, etc. The sky is the limit!

Jump to Recipe

Ingredients

Organize the ingredients – chicken livers, bourbon, onion, garlic, fresh (or dried) herbs, allspice, unsalted butter, chicken broth, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Making the Chicken Liver Base

Melt butter in a large non-stick pan over moderately low heat.

Once butter is melted add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Melt 1 stick butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add herbs, salt, pepper, allspice, and livers and cook, stirring and slightly mashing the livers, until livers are cooked outside but still pink when cut open, about 8 minutes. Stir in bourbon, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Clarifying Butter

Meanwhile melt additional 1/2 stick of butter over low heat.

Once a foam begins to develop, use a spoon to remove the foam

Meanwhile, melt remaining ½ stick butter in a very small heavy saucepan over low heat, until foam starts to form. Then skim off the foam with a spoon and discard. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 3 minutes.

Puréeing the Chicken Livers

Transfer chicken liver mixture to the food processer.

Process for less than 1 minute, until paté is smooth.

Once livers have cooled slightly, place mixture in a food processor and process until smooth, less than 1 minute.

Constructing the Paté

Transfer paté to medium-sized shallow terrine and pour clarified butter on top of the paté

Transfer pâté to crock or ramekins and smooth top using a spoon or spatula. If using herb garnish, place sprig on top of pâté. Spoon clarified butter over pâté to cover its surface, leaving milky solids in bottom of pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

Bourbon-Spiked Paté

Before serving, allow paté to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then serve with accoutrements such as gluten free crackers, fruit jam, apple slices, etc. Be creative!

Print Recipe

Bourbon-Spiked Paté

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Chilling Paté2

Total Time2 35

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: allspice, bourbon, chicken broth, chicken livers, garlic, gluten free, onion, oregano, thyme, unsalted butter

Servings: 12 servings

Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Equipment

2½-cup crock or terrine or several small ramekins

Ingredients

1½ sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cups) divided
1 cup finely chopped onion approx. 1/2 medium onion
1 large garlic clove minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage or ¼ teaspoon dried optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
1 container chicken livers 1 lb, 2 oz, drained
3-4 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons chicken broth

Instructions

Melt 1 stick butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add herbs, salt, pepper, allspice, and livers and cook, stirring and slightly mashing the livers, until livers are cooked outside but still pink when cut open, about 8 minutes. Stir in bourbon, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, melt remaining ½ stick butter in a very small heavy saucepan over low heat, until foam starts to form. Then skim off the foam with a spoon and discard. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 3 minutes.
Once livers have cooled slightly, place mixture in a food processor and process until smooth, less than 1 minute. Transfer pâté to crock or ramekins and smooth top using a spoon or spatula. If using herb garnish, place sprig on top of pâté.
Spoon clarified butter over pâté to cover its surface, leaving milky solids in bottom of pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.
Before serving, allow paté to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then serve with accoutrements such as gluten free crackers, fruit jam, apple slices, etc. Be creative!

Notes

Pâté can be chilled up to two weeks if the butter seal is maintained. Once butter seal has been broken, pâté will keep for one week if the surface is covered with plastic wrap and chilled.

Recipe from Epicurious.com and slightly modified by me.

If you like this GFchow recipe, you may also like these other recipes. Aunt Reneé’s Amazing Chopped Liver, DIY French Onion Dip, and Zahav-Famous Hummus (5-minute version).

Gluten Free Disclaimer

The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.