Pork Liver Pâté
Episode 107: Economical Offal
Recipe: Pork Liver Pâté
This is the standard meat and liver pâté available in most supermarkets in France, as well as at small restaurants and bistros. A special curing salt gives the pâté its beautiful pink color and great taste. Customarily served cold with French mustard and small cornichons, it makes a good first course for an evening meal or a light lunch with a salad and country bread. Serve a robust red wine.
Serves 6 to 8
8 ounces pork liver, nerves and sinews removed and diced
2 pounds ground pork (about 70% lean and 30% fat; shoulder or Boston butt is good)
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 teaspoons curing salt, preferably Morton Tender Quick
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed and very finely chopped
2 bay leaves
Cornichons (tiny French gherkins)
Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Drop the diced liver into a blender and blend for 35 to 50 seconds, or until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the ground pork to the livers, then add the wine, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the meat mixture into a terrine measuring 8 to 10 inches long, 4 to 5 inches wide, and 4 to 6 inches deep. Arrange the bay leaves on top. Cover the terrine with aluminum foil, set it in a baking pan, and pour enough lukewarm water around it to come at least three quarters of the way up the sides of the terrine. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pâté reaches an internal temperature of about 145 degrees. Remove from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.
Refrigerate the pâté overnight before serving. (The pâté will keep for up to 1 1/2 weeks refrigerated.)
Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with cornichons and mustard.
Copyright © 2011 by Jacques Pépin. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Mr. Peppin. I use Prague Powder Number 1 to cure the meat for sausage. I would like to make the Pork Pate as described in this recipe.
Can I use the Prague Powder Number 1 instead of the Morton Tender Quick salt?
Thank you.
Dear Jaques — I noticed that in the episode, you called for a pound of pork liver and 1 1/2 pounds of ground pork, and in the recipe it is half as much liver and more pork. Which do you prefer? More livery, or more porky?
M. Pepin, would venison liver work inland of the pork liver?