Serves: 6 Cooking time: medium to long

INGREDIENTS:

• 600g chicken livers
• 250g butter, diced and slightly softened
• 2 shallots finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• A good splash each of brandy
• Toasted bread to serve

For the topping:

• 100g butter
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 150g fresh redcurrants or pomegranate seeds

METHOD:

• Cut away and discard any large sinews from the livers, then set the livers aside.
• Heat about a third of the butter in a large frying pan, then gently fry the shallots and the garlic for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Turn up the heat, add the livers, then fry until just browned on all sides. Add the brandy, boil down as quickly as possible. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Season the livers then tip into a food processor with the remaining butter and blitz until smooth.
• Place into a serving dish, banging the dish down on the tabletop to smooth the surface. Place in the fridge to set.
• Once the mixture has set, make the topping. Melt the butter over a low heat until it has clarified (this means separated, so the yellow butter is on the top and the milky liquid on the bottom).
• Pour the yellow butter that has risen to the top into another bowl and discard the milky liquid.
• Leave the yellow butter to cool slightly then mix in the thyme and peppercorns and red currants or pomegranate seeds.
• Pour the mixture over the Christmas paté and leave to set in the fridge. This will keep for 2 days in the fridge. Serve with toast.

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