Pheasant Liver Pâté

Be a person who not only eats liver…but also truly enjoys it! This recipe title might sound intimidating, but we guarantee the whole process is not. Be sure you have a trusty blender and a few key ingredients, and you’ll be excited to share this tasty liver dish. Thanks to Chef Nate Novick from Cannibale Calgary for sharing this recipe.

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb pheasant livers, trimmed of stringy white membrane
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp Alberta rye whiskey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 turns freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • ¼ tsp, heaping freshly grated nutmeg
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temperature

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine the pheasant livers, cream, 2 tbsp rye whiskey, egg, salt, pepper, Tabasco and nutmeg in a blender. Purée until very smooth, then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small ovenproof pot, stirring the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
  3. Put the pot with the liver mixture in a baking dish or roasting pan and transfer to the oven. Pour enough steaming hot water into the baking dish to reach the same level as your mixture. Tightly cover the pot with aluminum foil and bake in the water bath until the mixture has mostly set but the centre still jiggles when you shake the pot, 30 to 35 minutes. You may see some cracks on the surface — that’s nothing to worry about.
  4. Let the mixture cool slightly and and blend with the butter in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining 1 tsp rye whiskey and blend briefly to mix well.
  5. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then transfer to a container and cover. Refrigerate until thickened to a creamy consistency, at least 4 hours, or up to 3 days.