Challenging myself: June Daring Cook`s Challenge Three Versions Liver Pâté and fresh Bread

Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of a The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.

This months challenge was so much Fun that I can thank Evelyne and Valerie enough. I made 3 different Version and would have made some more if there had been time. But since this was so easy I already know what will be under the Christmas tree for the family. And I just love the idea to bring a Pate in a Jar as a small present to the next dinner we are invited to?

My first Version was a Turkey Liver Terrine using the Chicken Liver Terrine recipe but using Turkey instead of the Chicken.

It was amazing and even the hubby loved it, the kids not so much, but that was nothing new.

For my second Version I again used the Chicken Liver Recipe but made it a Chicken liver Terrine with Rosemary and Bacon. Oh this was so good, you will not believe me how good it was. This I will make again and again.

The Third Version was a Chicken Liver Terrine that was imbedded in a Cider Jelly together with small cubes of fresh Apples.  The Picture is horrible, it was already dark and this was the only portion left so it was the smallest on and the ugliest. The Guest loved it and it was easy.

 

So this months Challenge was perfect, it was fun it was easy, it let us be creative and the best part is you can freeze the leftovers. Love it.

And since the Bread  baking was Part of this Months Challenge I made a Baguette, a German Black Forrest Peasant Bread and a plain Milk Loaf.

Go now take a look at what the other Daring Cook`s did over at the Daring Kitchen Homepage and  be a little daring and give it a try.

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

 

1 tbsp duck fat, or butter 2 onions, coarsely chopped 300g (11 oz) chicken livers, trimmed 3 tbsp brandy, or any other liqueur (optional) 100g (3 1/2 oz, 1/2 cup) smoked bacon, diced 300g (11 oz) boneless pork belly, coarsely ground

200g (7 oz) boneless pork blade (shoulder), coarsely ground (or ground pork see note below) 2 shallots, chopped 1 tsp quatre-épices (or ¼ tsp 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, chopped Salt and pepper

NOTE: If you cannot find ground pork belly or blade, buy it whole, cut it into chunks, and pulse in the food processor. You can also replace the pork blade with regular ground pork.

 

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

Melt the fat or 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 belly and blade in a food processor, then add the onion-liver mixture and the

chopped shallots, and pulse until you obtain a homogenous mixture – make sure not to reduce it to a slurry.

Transfer to a bowl, and gradually stir in the chopped bacon, quatre-épices, cream, eggs, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Spoon the mixture into a terrine or loaf pan, and 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.