Chicken Liver Parfaits

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 14 ounces chicken livers
• 5 ounces butter, plus 2oz for the top of the parfaits
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 sprig thyme, plus sprigs to top
• 1 pinch chinese five spice powder
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• bread, toasted to serve, ideally dense bread like brioche

Recipe

• 1 trim the livers of any green bits (these will be bitter) or sinews.
• 2 heat a knob of the butter in a large frying pan and gently fry the livers with the garlic, shallot, thyme and chinese five-spice.
• 3 fry until the livers are browned but still soft when pressed, and pink (but not raw) in the middle.
• 4 tip the livers into a food processor. whizz to a paste, then whizz in the remaining butter and cream.
• 5 push the mixture through a sieve - this is boring, but worth it for a really smooth texture. season well.
• 6 divide the mixture between 6 small china or glass ramekins and smooth the surface.
• 7 melt the final 2oz butter in a pan and let the milk solids settle to the bottom.
• 8 put a sprig of thyme on top of each ramekin and pour a little butter over each. chill to set.
• 9 to serve, bring the parfaits up to room temperature and eat with toasted brioche buns.