LIVER PARFAIT

SERVES 6-8

350g chicken livers or duck livers 150g butter, chopped 2 eschalots, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 70ml port or tawny 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 1 pinch ground allspice 1 tsp red wine vinegar 100ml pouring (pure) cream Sourdough crostini, cornichons and

bitter salad leaves, to serve

Separate the livers into lobes and trim, removing any blood vessels and sinew.

Melt 20g butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add eschalot and saute for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add garlic in the final minute of cooking, then transfer to a food processor.

Wipe pan and add another 20g butter. When butter foams, add livers and sear, turning once, for 2-3 minutes until browned (be careful; the livers will spit a little). Don’t overcook the livers. Transfer to the food processor with the eschalot mixture.

Add port to pan, bring to the boil and scrape browned bits from base. Cook for 1-2 minutes to reduce by half. Add to liver mixture with thyme and allspice. Cool.

Add vinegar and remaining 110g butter to the food processor, season and process until smooth. Add cream, process to combine, then pass through a sieve. Transfer to a 21/ cup (625ml) serving dish and refrigerate for 2 hours until set and chilled. Serve with crostini, cornichons and bitter salad leaves alongside.