Name: Every year at Christmas I make 3 kg of homemade pâté: it’s so good everyone reaches for it
Prep time: 135 min
Cook time: 135 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: 1.5 kg chicken livers; 500 g pork tenderloin or pork shoulder; 500 g pork lard; 2 medium onions; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the start of sautéing); 150 ml dry white wine; 1 bay leaf; 2 eggs; 100 ml cooking cream (30%); 1 teaspoon sweet ground paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1–2 teaspoons salt (to taste, start with 1 teaspoon and taste); Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (or 2 teaspoons dried); Fresh thyme or extra marjoram; A tablespoon of cranberries in syrup or sweetened cranberries (for serving); A little sweet ground paprika for sprinkling; Fresh bread, toasts, pickles

Preparation procedure

Preparing the meat and ingredients Clean the chicken livers of membranes and veins and cut into smaller pieces. Cut the pork meat and lard into cubes approximately 2 × 2 cm in size. Peel and finely chop the onion, press or finely chop the garlic.
Rendering the lard and browning the onion Put the lard into a large pot or deep pan and let it partially melt over low heat. You can set aside a handful of the cooked lard cubes to gently work into the finished mixture later for “chunks” in the pâté. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the melted lard, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and briefly fry until fragrant, but don’t let it turn bitter.
Searing the livers and meat, braising with wine Add the chicken livers and pork to the base. Sear them briskly on all sides to seal. Pour in the white wine, add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to medium and braise covered for about 45–60 minutes, until the pork is tender and the livers are thoroughly cooked. Stir occasionally. If the liquid reduces too much, you can add a little water or stock.
Preparing the pâté mixture Remove the bay leaf and let the mixture cool for a few minutes so it isn’t piping hot. Then transfer it to a large blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Add the eggs, cream, ground paprika, pepper, salt, lemon juice and chopped marjoram. Blend until a smooth, creamy mass forms. If necessary you can add a little extra cream, but the mixture should be rather thick so it holds its shape. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings to your liking.
Folding in lard pieces and filling the molds If you reserved some of the lard in larger pieces, now is the right moment to gently fold it into the blended pâté — it will give a delicate “melting” effect in every bite. Divide the finished mixture into greased ceramic ramekins, small baking dishes or one larger terrine mold. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
Baking in a water bath for perfect texture Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Place the molds with the pâté into a deeper tray or roasting pan and pour in hot water so that it reaches about halfway up the sides of the molds. Bake in the water bath for roughly 35–45 minutes, until the pâté sets and the surface lightly browns. This cooking method ensures safety (the eggs and interior are well cooked) and the pâté will hold its shape nicely.
Cooling and resting After baking, let the pâté cool first at room temperature. Then cover it with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. During resting the flavors will meld, the texture will firm up and the pâté will be easier to slice and spread.
Serving Before serving you can lightly sprinkle the surface with sweet ground paprika, garnish with a sprig of thyme or marjoram and optionally add a teaspoon of cranberries to each portion on the plate. Serve with fresh crusty bread, toasted slices, pickled cucumbers or pearl onions and a glass of good white or red wine.

Quick recipe information

Servings: approx. 15 servings

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Cooking time (braising + baking): 90 minutes

Total time: approx. 135 minutes (including cooling, excluding longer overnight resting)

Tips and variations

For an even creamier texture you can add a little extra melted pork lard to the mixture before blending.
Instead of marjoram you can use fresh thyme, sage or a combination — the pâté will gain a different but still very interesting herbal aroma.
For a festive version fold into the finished mixture finely chopped, sautéed mushrooms or a few drops of truffle oil.
If you prefer a milder flavor, you can slightly reduce the amount of liver and increase the proportion of pork.

Every year at Christmas I make 3 kg of homemade pâté: it’s so good everyone reaches for it recept

For 15 portions

Ingredients

Meat base:

Base for sautéing and seasoning:

To season the pâté:

For garnish and serving (optional):

Preparation procedure

Quick recipe information

Tips and variations

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