A happy turkey [free range] is
going to have, amongst other innards tucked inside, a liver. Freeze it
separately and turn it into a pate. Most pate recipes are designed for half a
kilo of liver. This one is just for that one liver you saved from the Christmas
turkey. I consulted several recipes from my Hungarian cookbooks and came up
with this bit of pate that should provide sufficient topping for about a dozen
or more crackers. It’s a rich pate and the recipe can be doubled or tripled if
need be. Almost all the recipes called for a layer of duck fat to cover the
pate to prevent oxidation. I had no duck fat, besides I didn’t think it will be
necessary for such a small amount. It may seem like a big bother to make a bit
of pate, but if you like the taste of liver, it will be worth it. Beware, the
pate contains Scotch Whiskey.
TURKEY LIVER PATE
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
meaty bacon equal volume to liver, diced
1 turkey liver, diced
2 Tbsp very finely chopped fresh or crushed dried basil
red pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/8 cup whipping cream
1/8 cup of good scotch whiskey
- On medium heat melt the butter.
- Add the oil and the meaty bacon.
- Sauté the bacon until fully cooked.
- Add the liver, basil and the red pepper.
- Continue to sauté until the liver is cooked through. It takes very short time. Don’t overcook it.
- Remove from heat and add salt to taste.
- Let it cool down somewhat and add the whipping cream.
- Transfer to the blander or the food processor and pure.
- Add the scotch and pulse.
- Place a fine sieve over a bowl and force the liver mixture through.
- About half of the pate will remain as fiber. Discard it. I would feed it to a dog if there was no alcohol in it.
- Scoop the fine pate onto a small dish, cover and place in the refrigerator.
- Serve it fully chilled.
