Chicken Liver Pate

I don't know when I decided I really love Chicken Liver Pate, but I'm glad I do! 

This year Dad & Ma raised broiler chickens once again for family consumption and we specifically had our eye on the livers for a decadent pate for the Holiday.

I have to say I was anxious to try the pate with these homegrown livers because so far, everything that I've tasted that has been raised or farmed locally has been superior to anything I've ever had of the same purchased in a grocery store. 

These livers are no exception. 

"Clean" is the best way to describe the delicate flavor. Accented by perfectly matched herbs, shallots, garlic and onions. I believe I've hit upon a really good recipe. As always, I research classic recipes and techniques before striking out on my own. This recipe is an adaptation of the classic Jacques Pepin recipe in Food & Wine magazine. 

If you can get your hands on some local, organically raised chicken livers, please do. At the risk of sounding like an episode of "Portlandia", ask your source what the chickens were fed and under what conditions they were raised. Honestly, if they were farm raised and fed a good organic diet, allowed to scratch for bugs, eat some natural vegetation and had time in a nice environment, they really will taste better!

Chicken Liver Pate

1 lb. fresh chicken livers 

2 sticks unsalted butter -room temp

1 small shallot - minced

1/2 small yellow onion minced

3 cloves garlic-minced

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1 tsp. herbs de Provence 

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup water

2 tblsp. good cognac or brandy 

1-2 tsp. sea salt - flakes if possible 

1-2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

squeeze (about 1 tsp.) of fresh lemon juice

In a large saute pan cook the minced shallot, onion and garlic in 2 tblsp. of the butter over med-low heat until soft and clear. Add bay leaves, herbs de Provence and tarragon. Add chicken livers and water, turn heat to medium and cook for at least 3-4 minutes, turning the livers several times. They should slightly pink in the center. Transfer just the livers to a food processor fitted with a steel blade, leaving the onion and herb mixture in the pan. 

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Turn the heat to med-high and cook for 1-2 more minutes to evaporate any excess liquid in the pan. Turn off heat. Add the cognac to the livers in the food processor. Add onion and herb mixture and and the remaining butter, pulse several times to combine. Add sea salt and pepper to taste - start with the smaller amount and add to taste. Add fresh lemon juice and pulse several more times until smooth and creamy. Taste one more time and adjust seasonings. Remember that when you serve the pate cold, the flavors will be more muted than when the pate is warm and freshly made. Pour the pate into 4 (1/2 cup) ramekins- sometimes I need 5- depends on the day!

cover tightly with plastic wrap -making sure the plastic wrap is pressed down onto the pate. 

Refrigerate at least 6-8 hours before serving and overnight is best. 

Serve on crackers or crostini style bread, keeping a small bowl of flaky sea salt handy to sprinkle on top. 

This pate will keep approx. two weeks if tightly sealed with plastic wrap and kept cold. 

Lemon Poppyseed Cookies w/ Fresh Lemon Glaze

The annual Holiday Treat exchange at my office is always a fun time. We have a passionate team member who started and keeps this tradition alive each year. We've graduated to not only exchanging the baked goods, but we are lulled into the Holiday Spirit by cheerful seasonal tunes on the conference room stereo. Hot tea and samples of the treats are laid out in preparation. I have my favorites and carefully seek them out each year...Mexican Wedding cookies, toffee bars, rugelach. We have a secretly talented team of bakers disguised as office dwellers by day.
This is my contribution for 2011 and I have the King Arthur Flour Co. people to thank for my inspiration. I've taken their roll out cookie dough recipe and revamped it to have a burst of tangy lemon and slight crunch of poppyseed, classic flavors not reserved just for muffins. The fresh lemon glaze adds another layer of lemon flavor. These are delicious with a cup of tea.


Lisa’s Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

Makes approx. 3 dozen 2 inch cookies 

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Cookie Companion

Dough prep time: 20 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour
Bake time: 12-16 minutes
Glaze time: let set for approx. 20 minutes before pkging. cookies

1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Zest of ½ fresh lemon
Juice of ½ fresh lemon
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds



In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest and juice till light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Don't forget to scrape down the bowl!

Add half the cream, all of the cornstarch, poppy seeds and half the flour. Beat well then add the remaining ingredients. Form the dough into 2 logs about 2 inches in diameter by rolling in wax paper, chill for at least 1 hour and cut into approx. ¼” thick discs and bake as directed above.

Bake cookies on a parchment lined sheet pan in a 350 degree F oven for 12-16 minutes. They should just be lightly browned around the edges. Glaze with fresh lemon glaze.

Fresh Lemon Glaze

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Strain the fresh lemon juice to remove seeds and pulp, mix the powdered sugar in until a smooth glaze forms. Glaze should be the consistency of honey, add powdered sugar and/or additional lemon juice to get desired consistency. Glaze each cooled cookie with about ½ teaspoon of glaze and let set until hardened.

Turkey Time

Face it...you roast a turkey every year for Thanksgiving because it's tradition. Yet, you are always battling the over/under cooked turkey dilemma. Why?  Because most of us only roast whole turkeys once a year. You can't get really good at something unless you do it often, right? Well, that's why you need a foolproof way to ensure your turkey is perfect on Thanksgiving Day. These are my top 3 tried and true tips for your yearly turkey roasting experience.

1.) CALIBRATE -Make sure you know the REAL temperature of your oven-buy a good oven thermometer and calibrate your oven. By that I mean set your oven to 350 degrees F and put the thermometer in. Let your oven heat fully and run for at least 15 minutes and then check the thermometer, what does it say? If it says anything besides 350 degrees F then make a note of that. If its running hot adjust your temperature setting down, if its running cool, vice versa.

2.) PROBE your bird- they aren't just for aliens. A good quality probe thermometer allows you to roast your bird to a precise internal temperature. This also helps when your oven runs hotter or cooler than the setting on your dial. If you roast your turkey solely on time per pound, you are taking chances that you will have over/under cooked turkey.

3.) DEFROST in time- you can also have a battle on your hands if your turkey is partially frozen when you go to roast your bird. Defrost in a refrigerator for at least 3 days prior. There are quick defrost methods just in case you goof. Leite's Culinaria has a great article on this.

Semolina Quinoa Bread

I was just minding my own business making a simple batch of Semolina Bread last week.
I had also just finished cooking a batch of Quinoa (pronounce- Keen-Wah).
What if I took some of the Quinoa and added it to my dough?
It would definitely add some moisture, great protein kick and a nice nutty flavor. So I added it and it turned out fabulous!!! So here is the recipe for you.

Semolina - Quinoa Bread - makes one loaf

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white bread flour
1 & 1/2 cups semolina flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup Water (warm - not over 90 degrees F)
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 scant tblsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup quinoa - cooked to package directions and cooled to room temp.

In a large bowl or bread mixer combine flours and salt, set aside. Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Let bloom for about 4 minutes. Then add yeast mixture to dry ingredients, stir to combine. Add cooked quinoa. Mix until dough is combined into a shaggy dough ball, add additional bread flour as necessary to keep dough from being too sticky. Knead for 3 minutes and allow to rest.
Knead after resting for an additional 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl that will allow the dough to double in size. Let rise for about 1 hour in a warm draft free location. Your oven with the light on is perfect.
When dough is doubled, punch down and form into a loaf, by patting it out into a rough circle. Roll dough into a thick log, pinching the bottom seam and folding in the ends.
Place in a greased 9 X 5 X 3 loaf pan and allow to rise to double. This should take about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F when ready to bake and bake loaf for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Internal temp. of loaf should be 190 degrees F. when done.
Turn out loaf onto a cooling rack, allowing to cool on it's side for at least one hour.
Slice and serve! Excellent toasted with butter and jam! Keep loaf in the refrigerator if you will have it on hand for more than 3 days.