This Chicken Liver Pâté Crostini is a tasty make-ahead appetizer that is actually pretty economical and easy to prepare.
This crostini, made from my favorite stirato bread, is the perfect vehicle for this delicious chicken liver pâté.
I love crostini (also known as "little crusts"), the little toasts from slices of baguettes that are typically grilled or toasted and brushed with olive oil.
The little crostini are spread with lots of savory toppings, either marinated, cooked, or fresh. You can also serve them with a sweet and savory combination of cheeses and jams for a delicious appetizer. Be sure to check out my grilled crostini four ways.
What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?
Bruschetta is made from larger and thicker slices of rustic Italian bread while crostini is smaller, and the texture of the crumb might be finer (although I used an open crumb baguette for these).
With bruschetta, one to two slices, topped with fresh tomatoes and basil or bean salads would be plenty. Crostini are more appetizer-sized and perfect for an antipasto plate. I can easily polish off four to five slices at a time.
Either way, the bread is pretty much prepared the same way, either by toasting, baking, or grilling. I love them both!
For this crostini, I made a simple yet delicious chicken liver pâté. I've always loved pâtê, so combining it with crostini was a natural.
To Make The Crostini:
Begin with a baguette or other narrow loaf of bread. It's better if the loaf is a day or two old (a little bit stale).
Thinly slice the loaf, toast or grill the pieces, and lightly brush the toasts with olive oil. If you choose to grill them, you can grill the toasts on a barbecue or a grill pan. You can do this a few hours in advance and store the crostini in an airtight container.
Ingredients in the Chicken Liver Pâté:
To make this pâté, you will need unsalted butter, shallots, fresh thyme, dry Vermouth, brandy, and salt and pepper. For the pepper, I added both freshly ground black pepper to the chicken liver blend and then finished it with some coursely ground tellicherry pepper.
Chicken Livers: For the best flavor, get the chicken livers from a reliable butcher or organic market. I actually bought flash frozen chicken livers from a local organic market and was super happy with the resulting flavor and texture. There was no metallic flavor at all in this pâté.
Also, be sure remove any extra fat and connective tissue from the liver before cooking it to improve the flavor.
P.S. Chicken livers are super inexpensive, making this one of the most budget-friendly elegant appetizers! Plus, they are nutrient rich, loaded with vitamins and minerals.
To Make the Chicken Liver Pâté:
First, melt a lot of unsalted butter in a skillet and then add shallots, fresh thyme, and salt, and cook until the shallots are softened and slightly browned.
Next, add the chicken livers and brown them for about a minute. Pour in the vermouth and simmer the livers for about six minutes. They should be slightly pink in the middle.
After that, remove the livers and shallots to a food processor and continue to simmer the vermouth mixture until it is slightly thickened, and pour it into the food processor. Add salt and pepper, as well as brandy, to the food processor, and process until very smooth.
For the food processor, I used a mini food processor, but a full-sized one would also work just fine.
Finally, transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in some cracked tellicherry peppers (optional), and smooth the top. Cover the mixture with several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate.
How to Store this Chicken Liver Pâté:
Once you've puréed the pâté, let it cool a bit in a bowl, and then cover it with several layers of plastic wrap, pressing it against the top of the mixture.
The pâté will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. While it's best served in the first few days, if you have leftovers, you can freeze them, tightly wrapped, for a few weeks.
Besides spreading the pâté on crostini, you can also add it to bahn mi sandwiches for an authentic touch. You could also add it to deviled eggs.
I also love it with water crackers and topped with thinly sliced pickled onions.
What is your favorite way to enjoy pâté?
Crostini Recipes
- Chicken Liver Pâté Crostini from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Grilled Steak Crostini from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Grilled Vegetable Agrodolce Crostini from Palatable Pastime
- Pork BBQ Crostini from The Freshman Cook
- Roasted Tomato Crostini from Art of Natural Living
- Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade Crostini from That Recipe
- Turkey Barbecue Crostini from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
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Chicken Liver Pâté Crostini
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 2 medium)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- Salt
- 3/4 pound chicken livers, rinsed in water and stringy connective tissue and fat removed
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry vermouth
- 2 teaspoons brandy
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked tellicherry pepper (optional, for extra peppery flavor)
- 1 baguette, sliced into 3/8 inch slices
- Olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- In a 10-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until the foaming slows down. Add the sliced shallots, the thyme, and 1/4 teapoon of salt, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shallots begin to lightly brown. Add the chicken livers and cook, turning them regularly, for one minute. Pour in the vermouth and simmer the livers for six minutes.
- Remove the livers from the pan with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor.
- Continue to simmer the vermouth and shallot mixture for two more minutes. Pour the mixture into the food processor with the livers. Add the brandy to the mixture and process until smooth, about two minutes. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste and more salt if desired, and process.
- Stir in the optional cracked tellicherry peppers.
- Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, smooth the top, and cover it with three layers of plastic wrap, pressing it against the top of the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
- Remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before serving.
- Toast the crostini in a single layer in a toaster oven until golden.
- Lightly brush with extra virgin olive oil (optional).
- Cool and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
161.28Fat (grams)
7.64Sat. Fat (grams)
4.15Carbs (grams)
13.37Fiber (grams)
1.01Net carbs
12.36Sugar (grams)
2.14Protein (grams)
7.26Sodium (milligrams)
167.65Cholesterol (grams)
112.86
I used to a similar chopped chicken liver dish at a deli where I worked a long time ago. I love your version.
ReplyDeleteI've never made Chicken Pate but I love how easy it sounds and serving it on crostini is perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love serving make ahead appetizers! Your chicken pate looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt's been too many years since I made pate! Yours looks amazing!
ReplyDelete