Oh! so easy. Oh! so excellent. We have made this many times. Is so much better and less expensive than store bought. We have even frozen some for a short time with little change in texture or taste.
Ranch House Pâté with Cognac
Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer
A ballerina named Carmeleta Maracci offered this recipe to Alan Hooker, founder of the Ranch House Restaurant in Southern California's Ojai Valley. "There are those," Hooker once observed, "who will consider the addition of cream cheese a sacrilege, but it smooths the pâté so beautifully that we disregard the purists."
6 tbsp. butter
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
Black truffle (optional), shaved
3⁄4 lb. chicken livers
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. cognac
1. Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add scallions and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, if using truffle, finely chop all but 4 shavings (reserve these for garnish) and set aside.
2. Add chicken livers and cook, covered, over medium heat until just cooked through, 5–7 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, mustard, nutmeg, and cloves. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, about 2 minutes. Continue to process, blending in remaining 4 tbsp. butter, cream cheese, and cognac. Mix in chopped truffle (if using), then transfer to small bowls or well-oiled molds, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 24 hours.
4. Serve a generous portion of pâté on a bed of greens with bread, olives, and caper berries, if desired, and garnish with reserved truffle shavings.
Ratings & Reviews (1)
Ranch House Pâté with Cognac
Reviewed by cassieb on
.
Oh! so easy. Oh! so excellent. We have made this many times. Is so much better and less expensive than store bought. We have even frozen some for a short time with little change in texture or taste.
Rating: 5
