Is it worth making your own pate?

[Buddleja]

Particularly chicken liver. I've made mackerel pate and it was nice - cheaper compared to buying it made in shops and it wasn't any hassle.

Now I really enjoy making stuff in the kitchen but I sort in the sense that a increase in difficulty must have a proportional increase in the improvement in taste from shop bought.

So has anyone made their own chicken liver pate and is it worth it?

I've not made it but my gran was an amazing cook and she said pate was the easiest thing in the world to make. You cook stuff and then whizz it in the liquidiser and add clarified butter to the top of it or some jelly.

I had it in a pub last night in a little ramekin and it was loooooovely

Oh good - that's pretty much how I made the mackerel one (not much cooking for it though - melt some butter!) just chuck in food processor and whizz - stick in ramekin. Pour melted butter on top.

My Mom makes hers, it is divine.
She is bringing some up for Christmas, I wouldn't let her through the door without it.

She mixes hers then cooks it in a bain marie.

Well worth it imo

I have made it, it's not hard but you need a lot of people to eat it as most recipes make a large amount.

And it is delicious - as are most home-made things.

Getting people to eat pate in my household isn't a difficulty!!! Though it's best I find a recipe I can freezer for the sake of everyone waistlines!!

I made hummous once and to be honest I wasn't overly inawe - practically the same as anything you'd get in the sho and not worth the hassle!!

yes, chicken liver pate is easy peasy and gorgeous. The hard bit was finding chicken livers of a quality I trusted - since bad stuff gets concentrated in the liver I didn't want to do it with liver from dodgily-raised chickens....

Home-made hummus is nicer with lots of lemon juice.

I think you can freeze any pate?

yes, yes & yes!!! Its fabulous and you can choose the flavourings. My recipe here

Oh yummy 120!!

Tell me though where would I get a 'tub' of chicken liver from? I was going to trundle down to my butcher and ask there!

Will be making (once I source a container to put it in)

yes, utchers usually have tubs of them. ikea kilner jars are good.

sorry, meant butchers. typing one handed while B/F. it's a really easy sure fire recipe. The hardest bit for me is not being icked out by the liver, but the result is worth it!

ohh yes, with a good slosh of brandy in

Ha I'd have figured out what you meant by utchers!!

Have brandy - will be sloshing

Ooh I might try hummous again then melted and I'll be generous with the lemon juice!

I have made prawn pate twice and it was delicious. I have made chicken liver pate once and it was a bit more work but still
very nice.

Fab... never heard of prawn pate! Is it like potted prawns?

Don't know as I don't know what potted prawns are. It is lovely.

potted prawns are fried in clarified butter with cayenne pepper, then left to set in ramekins with capers & parsley on top. Not mashed though so don't think it quals as a pate.

Not potted prawns then.

in that case, fancy sharing the recipe Fab?

Puree 250g/8oz cooked peeled prawns, 125g/4oz softened butter, 125g/4oz low fat soft cheese, and 3 tbsp lemon juice in a food processor until almost smooth. Add pepper to taste and a little more lemon juice if needed.

Divide the mixture between 8 ramekins, or one large bowl, and level the surface. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Serve chilled.

sounds fab, Fab. thank you!

oooh, I was all set to make the chicken liver one on Sat, and then you go and post a yummy sounding prawn one too. Decisions decisions...

Do both.......

was just thinking that funnily enough

...that's certainly my plan! Fab did you serve the prawn one with brown bread or anything other than crackers?