Easy to make and delicious to gift. This light and buttery Parfait goes particularly well with Stirring Stuff’s Spiced Vanilla Apricots. It will freeze well without the Sauterne jelly  which can be added when the parfait is defrosted before serving. Serve  as a first course with fresh brioche or melba toast .  You can also serve it as a canapé or fireside nibble, in which case make the Sauternes jelly in a flat dish by itself rather than on top of the Parfait. This way you can finely chop the jelly to add to the top of your canapé.  

 Chicken Liver Parfait

Serves 10-12

 Ingredients:

100ml milk and 100ml water and pinch of salt for soaking the livers

400g fresh chicken livers (300 + g prepared weight)

50ml dry marsala

50ml port

1 small shallot finely diced

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 blade mace

6 black peppercorns

6 white peppercorns

50 ml cognac

100g unsalted butter, diced

100g salted butter, diced

2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk

100ml double cream

A pinch of grated nutmeg

a good pinch (about an 1/8th teaspoon) salt and freshly ground white pepper

 Sauternes Jelly

3 sheets leaf gelatine

250ml Sauternes

1 tablespoon sugar

Bay leaves to decorate

1 Litre capacity -Pate mould, le Creuset terrine or for individual servings 100- 125ml Kilner jars or soufflé dishes.

Baking parchment cut to fit the top of the or terrine or jars (you could also use jam making wax discs for jars or soufflé dishes).

 Method:

Separate the lobes of the livers removing as much of the sinew as you can. If they are not pre-prepared livers, then take great care to remove the gall bladder without bursting it as bile makes the pate taste bitter. You should end up with about 350-300g prepared chicken livers.

Put the prepared livers into a small bowl and cover with the milk and water and a pinch of salt. This helps to remove any excess blood and bitterness. Soak the livers for a couple of hours. Drain well and rinse.

Preheat the oven to 150c.gas 2.

Put the Marsala, port, diced shallot and the chopped thyme, mace and peppercorns into a small pan over a moderate heat and simmer until the volume is reduced by half. Add the cognac and cook for a further ten seconds. Remove from the heat and cool.

Put the butters into a saucepan and melt over a very gentle heat. Once melted cool to blood temperature and then keep it warm.

Put the prepared chicken livers into a blender or liquidizer jug and blitz until smooth (15-20 seconds). Strain in the flavoured, reduced alcohol, along with the eggs and egg yolk and blend for a further 1-2 minutes.

With the motor running gradually pour in the warm melted butter and the double cream. Finish with the salt and a twist or two of ground white pepper.

Strain the parfait into a jug and then pour into the prepared mould/s, leaving space for the jelly. Lightly cover with grease proof paper.

Put the filled jars or terrines into a high sided roasting tin filled with cold water to the half way mark. Cook in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. When cooked a food, thermometer will read 65-70c. The pate will be just soft to touch. Remove from the oven and the bain-marie and leave to cool at room temperature.

Chill well before topping first with decorative bay leaves and then with the sauterne jelly.

If you prefer not to add a jelly then melt 100g unsalted butter and pour a seal of butter over the cooled parfait.

Sauternes Jelly

 Method:

Put the gelatine leaves into a jug of cold water to soften.

Put the sauternes and the sugar into a small pan. Over a moderate heat dissolve the sugar. When the sauternes is hot remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess water for the gelatine leave and stir them in to the sauterne to melt. Leave to cool before pouring over the top of the chilled parfait.

 To Serve:

 

Serve the parfait at room temperature with warm toast or brioche, and sweet chutney or confit. It goes fantastically well with Stirring Stuffs Vanilla poached Apricot confit.

The parfait will keep well for two to three days. If gifting, then add a use by label and notice to store in the fridge.

See additional serving suggestions at the top of the page.

 Stirring Stuff’s Edible Gifts for Christmas:

Christmas gift ideas from Stirring Stuff: Fabulous Fudge

Part 2 of Christmas Gifts from Stirring Stuff: Two Elegant Preserves.

Part 3 of Christmas Gifts from Stirring Stuff: Easy cheesy biscuits.

Part 4 of Stirring Stuffs edible gift ideas for Christmas: Deliciously Different Chocolate Truffles.

Kitchen Gift ideas from Stirring Stuff:

A penny for your present, or mind my fingers! Tips to help you chose the right knife to give as a gift.

Syria Appeal Cookery Book