Mohamed Shili Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate is a French-style appetizer made by searing livers in browned butter. This smooth spread gets its punch from capers, brandy, and thyme, creating a rich texture that firms up once it’s chilled.
The first time I made this, I cooked the livers until they were grey and hard in the middle. Now I always pull them off the heat while they’re still pink inside. That’s the difference between a grainy spread and one that’s silky and light. If you overcook the livers, the heat kills the flavor and leaves you with a metallic taste that no amount of cream can fix.
The capers are doing more work than you’d think here. Without them, the dish feels too heavy and one-note. That tiny bit of brine cuts through the fat from the butter and cream, making the whole thing taste balanced. I’ve found that the anchovy paste is worth using too because it adds a salty depth that stays in the background without making the pate taste like fish.
Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/3 cup (50g) minced shallots
- 1 lb (450g) chicken livers, trimmed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
How To Make Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate
- 1. Trim the chicken livers: Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut away any yellow fat or tough white stringy bits from the livers. Throw those parts away so your finished spread doesn’t have any chewy lumps.
- 2. Brown the butter: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Watch it closely for about 4 minutes as it bubbles and turns a dark golden color with a nutty scent.
If the butter starts to smell like it’s burning or turns black, wipe the pan and start over. Those toasted bits give the livers their flavor, but burnt butter will make the entire batch of pate taste bitter.
- 3. Sauté shallots and livers: Toss the shallots into the pan and cook for 1 minute until they soften. Add the livers in a single layer, season them with salt, and brown them for 2 minutes on each side.
- 4. Add flavorings: Mix in the garlic, capers, thyme, and anchovy paste. Keep the heat at medium and stir everything gently for 1 minute so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- 5. Deglaze with brandy: Take the pan off the burner and pour in the brandy, then scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Put it back on high heat and let the liquid simmer for 2 minutes until it looks like thick syrup.
The alcohol might flame up for a second when it hits the hot pan, so keep your face back. This step is what pulls all the caramelized flavor off the pan and puts it back into the meat.
- 6. Purée mixture: Scrape everything from the skillet into a food processor and pulse it a few times. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the heavy cream, then run the machine until the mixture is perfectly smooth.
- 7. Chill and serve: Pack the pate into small jars or ramekins and cover the surface tightly with plastic wrap. Put them in the fridge for at least an hour so the butter can firm up the texture before you eat it.
Recipe Tips
- Check the liver centers: When you’re browning them in the skillet, the livers should still be slightly spongy to the touch. If they feel firm like a well-done steak, they’re overcooked and won’t blend into a smooth paste.
- Use high-quality brandy: Since you’re letting the liquid simmer until it’s concentrated, the flavor of the spirit becomes very prominent. Don’t use anything you wouldn’t want to drink on its own.
- Mince the shallots fine: You want the shallots to almost disappear into the butter so they don’t leave chunky pieces in your processor. Smaller pieces cook faster and release their sugar more easily.
- Soak the livers in milk: If you’re worried about a strong iron taste, let the livers sit in a bowl of cold milk for 30 minutes before trimming them. This helps draw out some of the blood and mellows out the flavor.
- Wipe the skillet dry: Make sure there’s no water on your livers before they hit the hot butter. If they’re wet, they’ll steam instead of browning, and you’ll miss out on that toasted crust that makes the sauce taste better.
- Press the plastic wrap down: When you put the ramekins in the fridge, push the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pate. This prevents a dark brown skin from forming on top where the air hits the meat.
What To Serve With Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate
Thin slices of toasted baguette or plain crackers are the best base for this spread. The crunch of the bread works well with the soft texture of the pate.
If you want some acidity, try serving this with cornichons or pickled red onions. A little bit of fruit jam like fig or apricot spread on the toast also helps balance the salty herbs.
Storing & Reheating Tips
- Fridge: Keep the ramekins covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure the seal is tight because the fats in the pate will pick up other scents from your fridge very quickly.
- Freeze: You can freeze the pate for up to 2 months if you pour a thin layer of melted butter over the top to seal it. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve it.
- Reheat: You don’t want to reheat this dish at all. It’s meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature so it stays thick enough to spread.
Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 8):
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Protein: 11g
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
FAQs
Why is my Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate grainy?
Grainy pate usually means the livers were cooked too long or the butter wasn’t soft enough when you added it to the processor. Make sure the centers of the livers are still pink before you blend them.
Can I use chicken fat instead of butter?
Yes, you can use schmaltz for a more traditional Jewish style, but the flavor will be much more savory and less creamy. Butter is what gives this French version its signature silkiness.
How do I get a perfectly smooth Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate?
If your food processor isn’t doing the job, you can press the finished pate through a fine-mesh sieve with a spatula. This removes any tiny bits of shallot or caper that didn’t get fully blended.
Can I substitute the brandy with something else?
You can use dry sherry or even a bit of white wine if you don’t have brandy on hand. If you want to avoid alcohol entirely, use a little extra chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice.
What’s the point of the anchovy paste?
It acts as a natural flavor booster that makes the meat taste more intense without making it taste like fish. It’s a classic trick for adding depth to savory French sauces and spreads.
More Julia Child Recipes:
Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate
Description
Julia Child Chicken Liver Pate is a decadent, velvety French spread that transforms simple offal into a gourmet delicacy. The recipe utilizes a “beurre noisette” (brown butter) base to sauté trimmed livers and aromatics, which are then deglazed with brandy to capture every bit of caramelized flavor. Emulsified with heavy cream and additional butter, the resulting pate is incredibly smooth with a sophisticated profile of thyme, capers, and shallots. It is the ultimate classic appetizer, designed to be chilled until firm and spread over crisp baguette.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim the chicken livers: Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut away any yellow fat or tough white stringy bits from the livers. Throw those parts away so your finished spread doesn’t have any chewy lumps.
- Brown the butter: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Watch it closely for about 4 minutes as it bubbles and turns a dark golden color with a nutty scent.
- Sauté shallots and livers: Toss the shallots into the pan and cook for 1 minute until they soften. Add the livers in a single layer, season them with salt, and brown them for 2 minutes on each side.
- Add flavorings: Mix in the garlic, capers, thyme, and anchovy paste. Keep the heat at medium and stir everything gently for 1 minute so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Deglaze with brandy: Take the pan off the burner and pour in the brandy, then scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Put it back on high heat and let the liquid simmer for 2 minutes until it looks like thick syrup.
- Purée mixture: Scrape everything from the skillet into a food processor and pulse it a few times. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the heavy cream, then run the machine until the mixture is perfectly smooth.
- Chill and serve: Pack the pate into small jars or ramekins and cover the surface tightly with plastic wrap. Put them in the fridge for at least an hour so the butter can firm up the texture before you eat it.
If the butter starts to smell like it’s burning or turns black, wipe the pan and start over. Those toasted bits give the livers their flavor, but burnt butter will make the entire batch of pate taste bitter.
The alcohol might flame up for a second when it hits the hot pan, so keep your face back. This step is what pulls all the caramelized flavor off the pan and puts it back into the meat.
Notes
-
Check the liver centers: When you’re browning them in the skillet, the livers should still be slightly spongy to the touch. If they feel firm like a well-done steak, they’re overcooked and won’t blend into a smooth paste.
Use high-quality brandy: Since you’re letting the liquid simmer until it’s concentrated, the flavor of the spirit becomes very prominent. Don’t use anything you wouldn’t want to drink on its own.
Mince the shallots fine: You want the shallots to almost disappear into the butter so they don’t leave chunky pieces in your processor. Smaller pieces cook faster and release their sugar more easily.
Soak the livers in milk: If you’re worried about a strong iron taste, let the livers sit in a bowl of cold milk for 30 minutes before trimming them. This helps draw out some of the blood and mellows out the flavor.
Wipe the skillet dry: Make sure there’s no water on your livers before they hit the hot butter. If they’re wet, they’ll steam instead of browning, and you’ll miss out on that toasted crust that makes the sauce taste better.
Press the plastic wrap down: When you put the ramekins in the fridge, push the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pate. This prevents a dark brown skin from forming on top where the air hits the meat.
