Spicy herb venison paté

MAKES 300g 30 minutes READY IN

My very talented hubby made damson plum port two years ago, and it has been the perfect ingredient in our paté. There's nothing as lovely as a little picnic on the beach, accompanied by a glass of Paul's port with a plate of crackers and paté.

Liver is very gamey in flavour, especially if it's from a goat or deer. You can use any animal liver for these recipes. Lamb liver is much milder, and has a sweeter taste to it.

When preparing a liver, cut away the tendons to avoid chewy bits.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup diced onion 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp fresh thyme

or ½ tsp dried thyme 6 dried prunes 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 pinch of chilli powder (or more if you like) 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp butter 250g venison liver, chopped into cubes ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

In a large frypan, sauté the first seven ingredients in the butter. When they are well combined and you can smell the fragrance of the thyme (about 10 minutes), add the chopped venison liver and the seasoning. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Put the mixture into a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Keep your paté in an airtight container in the fridge. Use within a week.