Good Bread, Great Pâté: The Dish I Doubted, Until a Friend Made It Perfectly

Hello, readers!

My apologies for being MIA this winter. My husband and I were blessed with the news that we’re expecting our third child — and wow, is the first trimester a real doozy. I couldn’t even think about food without wanting to heave.

Thankfully, perfectly in sync with the changing of the seasons, I’ve crawled my way out of those first-trimester trenches and into spring with a new appreciation for simply being able to smell fried eggs in the morning. And yes, the cravings are here in full swing, so be prepared for this column to reflect that over the next six months.

Carrying a human also comes with the responsibility of staying healthy — not only for her, but for myself. That means searching for better alternatives to what I really want, which is usually … not great. I almost bought Pop-Tarts the other day. Yikes.

Something else notable: I love chicken pâté now. Liver was never something I wanted any part of before, but after having it made fresh at a dinner party by my friend Karina Fengler (Loaves & Fishes), my baby is absolutely screaming for the stuff. After much begging and pleading for the recipe, she finally gave in and taught me how to make it. This column’s recipe is a slightly modified version of hers. Karina soaks her livers in milk instead of heavy cream and uses a food processor instead of a blender. I prefer a smoother texture and opted for the Vitamix.

If you’re on the fence like I was, just know this: It uses a generous amount of butter, and if you make it correctly, it’s truly delicious. I suggest digging through my past recipes for the einkorn loaf to spread it on. If baking your own bread is too daunting for you, I suggest ordering a loaf of sourdough from Big Fresh Bakery (bigfreshbakery.com). It’s the best bread in town, in my humble opinion.

Before I forget, I also wanted to clear up a rumor on behalf of Karina’s mother. I had the pleasure of meeting Sybille, and she confirmed that the Loaves & Fishes Cookshop is not closing. They’re simply having a sale and doing some light renovations. I’ll admit, I had a bit of a moment — I had to tell her that the 1985 “Loaves & Fishes Cookbook” will always be one of my all-time favorites. If you love to cook, it’s absolutely essential.

Karina’s Chicken Liver Pâté With Apple & Rosemary

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken livers, soaked in heavy cream for 30 minutes

1 apple, peeled and chopped (I used honeycrisp)

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 shallots, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon minced rosemary

¼ cup cherry juice

1 pound salted butter softened, plus more for sautéing

Method

Drain the chicken livers from the cream and rinse gently under cold water. Pat dry.

In a sauté pan, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add the livers and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the apple, shallots, onion and rosemary. Add more butter as needed and sauté until softened and browned. About 5 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the cherry juice, then return the livers to the pan and turn off the heat and toss everything together. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender for an extra smooth texture, or food processor. Purée, adding the remaining softened butter 2 tablespoons at a time, until fully incorporated.

Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.