pate starter

[loopydoo]

Hi,

Doing pate starter for dinner party tonight and went yesterday to buy what I thought would be a whole oblong pate but when I got to the deli, they only had jars of pate.

I bought 4 biggish pots to split between 8 (won't need that much but got spare) but not sure now how to divide them and present them.

If I spoon it out into individual mini ramakins, won't it all look a mess in the pot?

Is there an easy way to spoon it out and shape it into a rectangle for example?

I'm serving it with granary toast - was going to make some bread but feeling groggy so can't be bothered.

I think it will look a mes if you attempt to make a splodge into a rectangle,it may look ok if you spoon it into ramekins, personally I think your best bet might be to make quennelle shapes.

Thank you isla.
So quenelle shapes (how many?) onto plate next to ramakin of chutney and salad sprig and toast triangles.

Maybe two depending on your spoon size? I have a fairly hearty appetite and am a feeder when it comes to dinner guests, but it is only a starter and you don't want to over face anyone.

Have opened one of the jars - smells like cat food!!!

I tried some on toast and I'm sure quenelles will look good.

What about if I just plonk the jars on table and people help themselves? Would that look crass?

Unless the pots are particularly attractive it'll just look like you haven't bothered. I would scoop it out into ramekins then melt some butter and pour that over the top of each one. Pop a few peppercorns in the butter, allow to set and it'll look like home-made. Can't do much about the cat-food smell however

Well - it was all okay in the end.
DH came to the rescue and dug around the unsealed the pate and it popped out as a whole from each jar.

He then divided them into pretty 3 inch wedges and they looked great.

Thanks girls.