a small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1kg chicken livers, preferably free-range or organic, trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a small wineglass of brandy
mixed fresh bread, to serve
Parfait is basically a silky smooth pate. You can buy it in supermarkets and delis but it’s so simple and satisfying to make yourself. The ingredients are cheap, you get an amazing freshness and you have complete control on flavour so you can pimp it and make it really luxurious. Make it up to a week in advance and you’ll be laughing. It also makes a great present.
To make your clarified butter, pop a whole pack in a pan on a low heat or pilot light and let it tick away for 20 to 30 minutes until completely separated. The clear oil will separate from the white part in the bottom which is the whey. Skim the clear stuff off the top and put in a separate pan. Put this on a medium heat and add one sage leaf – this will act as your gauge so you know when it’s hot enough.
Meanwhile, heat a lug of oil in a large pan and when hot, add the onion, garlic and thyme leaves. Fry fast for about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until soft and starting to colour. Add a splash more oil, your chicken livers and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on a high heat for no more than 4 minutes so still blushing in the middle, you’ll see them start to plump up. If you overcook them, they’ll be tough, and we want them silky and smooth.
Keep an eye on your pan of oil and when the sage leaf is frizzled and fried and it’s noisy, add the rest of the sage leaves and take the pan off the heat. They’ll go crispy, snappy and delicious. Leave to one side.
Add your brandy to the pan of livers, and let it cook off. You can flame it if you want – I like to do this as it’s a visual sign that the alcohol is burning off. Tip everything straight into a food processor with all the juices, and blitz until smooth – a liquidiser would be even better here if you’ve got one. You’ll notice that the smell changes straight away. Have a taste, and season to a degree where you’re happy, then add a little more as the seasoning goes down when it gets cold which is how you’ll serve it. Dice up your remaining pack of butter, and add it piece by piece, with the food processor still running. Wait for each piece to be combined before adding more. Keep whizzing when it’s all in, and you’ll see it start to shine. Taste again and season if necessary, then whiz for 2 or 3 minutes.
You can serve the parfait in whatever you like - individual terrines or in a big bowl or platter. Push it through a fine sieve and smooth it out, then pop in the fridge covered with a piece of greaseproof paper until set. Use a slotted spoon to pop the sage leaves on top in the centre of the parfait, then pour over the clarified butter. Pop back in the fridge and it will go hard and opaque and act as a seal. You don’t have to eat the butter later if you don’t want but it will have amazing flavour from the sage.
Keep it in the fridge for up to a week then I like to serve it with toasts, cornichons, watercress and a few wedges of lemon, with some lovely sweet dessert wine to wash it down. If you’re having it at a party, put it out with a toaster and a loaf of bread and let people serve themselves.
Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.
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