Chicken Liver Pate

from Everyday Cooking with Jacques Pepin

I'm not fond of chicken livers, but I've made this pate dozens of times; it is delcious and easy, and has a beautiful aspic decoration.

1 pound chicken livers
2/3 cup thinly sliced onions
1 clove garlic, crushed (1/2 teaspoon)
2 bay leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Cognac
1 piece of tomato skin and green of scallion for decoration
1 envelope unflavored gelatin

Place the livers, onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook at a bare simmer for 7 to 8 minutes.

Take out the solids with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl of a food processor with metal blade. (Reserve and strain the liquid to make the aspic.) Start processing the liver, adding the butter piece by piece. Finally, add the second teaspoon salt, the pepper, and Cognac and process for 2 more minutes so that th emixture is very creamy and completely smooth. If the mixture looks broken down, with visible fat, let it cool in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to harden the butter, then process again until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pour into a mold. Decorate or refrigerate to set.

To decorate: Blanch the piece of scallion in boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds until it wilts, then cool it under cold water. The blanching flattens it and makes it pliable, and the cold water sets the color and prevents yellowing.

Lay it flat on the table, and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut some strips from the leaves, and arrange them on the border of the pate to make a "frame" for the decoration.

Cut some leaves into pointed, thin strips to make stems. Arrange them on top of the pate, and set them by pressing the tig of your fingers or the point of a knife.

Use different sizes of leaves and shades of green. Fold some of the larger "leaves," make others into long stems, and some into tiny lozenges.

Place a tiny bit of green at the end of each stem to make a calyx for the flower, and place them at the ends of the stems.

Use the small trimmings to make the willowlike wildflower. One small piece of tomato skin is enough for the whole pate. Refrigerate the pate while you prepare the aspic.

To make the aspic: combine the strained cup of liquid from the liver and the gelatin in a saucepan. Stire gently over heat until the mixture almost comes to a boil and the gelatin is completely melted. Place the saucepan on ice, and stir until the liquid becomes very syrupy. At this stage the aspic is shiny and glistening, and about to set.

Take pate out of the refrigerator, and pour and spread 3 or 4 tablespoons of aspic on top. The layer of aspic should should be approximately 1/4 inch thick. It sets the decor, prevents it from drying out, and gives the effect of a beautiful stained-glass window. Serve with melba toast.

To make melba toast: Toast thin-sliced bread in the toaster. As soon as it comes out, trim the slices on all four sides and slide your knife into the soft area between the botttom and top crusts, separating the bread into two extremely think layers. It is not necessary to toast the white side.

Serves 12 as an appetizer.