Pate din ficat de pui (Chicken liver pate wraped in bacon)

Scroll down for English recipe

Acesta e cel de-al doilea pate facut pentru provocarea lunii iunie la Daring Cooks' . Am urmat reteta originala, cu mici modificari: nu am pus sunca afumata si nici salote. Sotul meu si baiatul au avut o singura reactie: CAT E DE BUN! MAI VREAU.



Ingrediente pentru o forma mica de chec.

• 1 lingura de unt
• 2 cepe, taiate marunt
• 400 g ficat de pui, taiat mic
• 3 linguri de coniac
• 300 g carne de porc, tocata
• 2 oua
• 200 ml smantana grasa
• cate 1/4 de lingurita de: piper, nucsoara, cuisoare, ghimbir, toate pulbere
• 2 crengute de cimbru
• sare, piper dupa gust
• 8 felii subtiri de bacon

1. Incalzeste cuptorul la 200 C

2. Topeste untul intr-o tigaie mare, la foc mic. Pune ceapa si caleste-o pana devine transparenta. Nu o arde.

3. Adauga ficatul, da focul mai mare si aureste-l putin la suprafata. In interior sa ramana nefacut.

4. Ia tigaia de pe foc, pune coniacul si flambeaza-l. Asteapta pana ce flacara se trece, inclinand tigaia in toate partile. Daca folosesti coniac Alexandrion, cum am facut eu, flacara o sa fie foarte mica. Mai bine foloseam ceva cu tarie mai mare.

5. Intr-un robot de bucatarie (sau cu masina de tocat) pune carnea de porc, apoi amestecul ceapa- ficat si mixeaza putin. Nu e nevoie sa iasa ca o pasta, pot ramane bucati mai mari. 

6. Rastoarna intr-un castron mare si amesteca inauntru ouale, smantana, condimentele. Potriveste de sare si piper. Pune si ramurelele de cimbru. Acesta se poate pune si taiat marunt, dar sotului meu nu ii place, asa ca l-am pus intreg ca sa-l poata scoate mai usor. Omogenizeaza bine.

7. Tapeteaza forma de chec cu feliile de bacon. Toarna compozitia de ficat inauntru si netezeste-o. Acopera totul cu foli de aluminiu.

8. Acum facem baia de apa.Pune forma de chec intr-o tavtat mai adanca, dar nu foarte mare. Pune la fiert apa. Umple tavita cu apa, astfel incat sa fie jumatate din inaltimea formei de chec. Pune totul in cuptor, cu grija sa nu versi apa fiarta. MARE GRIJA

9. Coace 2 ore. Scoate hartia de aluminiu si mai coace 30 min. Scoate din cuptor si lasa pana se raceste de tot. Pune la frigider pentru minimum 4 ore, inainte de a scoate pateul din forma. Se mananca rece.

English version

This is the second pate that I cooked for the Daring Cooks' challenge. I followed the original recipe with only some minor changes: no chopped bacon and no shallots. My husband and my son simply LOVED IT.

Chicken Liver Terrine
Yields one 25 by 12,5 cm (10 by 5 inch) terrine or loaf pan

1  tablespoon butter
2 onions, coarsely chopped
400g chicken livers, trimmed
3 tbsp brandy, or any other liqueur (optional)
300g ground pork
1 tsp quatre-épices (or 1/4tsp each of ground pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger is close enough)
2 eggs
200 ml (7 fl oz, 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
8 bacon slices

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF, Gas Mark 6).

Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the chicken livers and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until browned but still slightly pink on the inside.

Remove the pan from heat. Pour in the brandy, light a match and carefully ignite the alcohol to flambé. Wait for the flames to go out on their own, carefully tilting the pan to ensure even flavoring. Set aside.

Put the minced pork in a food processor, then add the onion-liver mixture, and pulse until you obtain a homogeneous mixture – make sure not to reduce it to a slurry.

Transfer to a bowl, and gradually stir in, quatre-épices, cream, eggs, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
Line a loaf pan with slices of bacon and spoon the mixture into it. Cover with the terrine lid or with aluminum foil.

Prepare a water bath: place the loaf pan in a larger, deep ovenproof dish (such as a brownie pan or a baking dish). Bring some water to a simmer and carefully pour it in the larger dish. The water should reach approximately halfway up the loaf pan.

Put the water bath and the loaf pan in the oven, and bake for 2 hours. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. The terrine should be cooked through, and you should be able to slice into it with a knife and leave a mark, but it shouldn’t be too dry. Refrigerate, as this pâté needs to be served cold. Unmold onto a serving platter, cut into slices, and serve with bread.

NOTE: This pâté freezes well. Divide it into manageable portions, wrap tightly in plastic film, put in a freezer Ziploc bag, and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge before eating.