This one-pan pâté is a little showpiece: bake, blend, pour on a jewel-bright cranberry top, then let the fridge do the rest. No splatter, no hovering over a skillet, just a rich, silky spread with a tart, glossy finish that makes you look wildly put-together with minimal effort.
What you need
Chicken liver (600 g). Two onions, one carrot, and one celery stalk, all cut into big chunks. Butter (80 g) and heavy cream (100 ml). Salt and black pepper. Cranberries, fresh or frozen (250 g). Sugar (2 to 3 tablespoons). Powdered gelatin (10 g) bloomed in warm water (80 ml). That is the entire cast.
How it happens
- Prep the basics: Rinse the chicken liver and trim off membranes and any greenish bile ducts. Roughly chop the onions, carrot, and celery.
- Roast, hands off: Tumble the liver and vegetables into a baking dish, dot with a little of the butter, season with salt and black pepper, and bake at 180 C for about 30 to 35 minutes. Aim for tender liver that stays soft.
- Blend to velvet: Let everything cool slightly, then move it to a blender. Add the remaining butter and the cream. Blitz until the mixture turns completely smooth and creamy.
- Set the base: Scrape the pâté into a container or mold and smooth the top. Chill for about 30 minutes so it firms up a touch.
- Cook the cranberry layer: Puree the cranberries, tip them into a small saucepan, add the sugar, and warm over medium heat for a few minutes until the berries burst and release plenty of juice.
- Bloom and dissolve the gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin over the warm water, let it swell, then dissolve it fully (a quick spin in the microwave or a gentle water bath both work). Stir the gelatin into the warm cranberry mixture.
- Pour and chill: Cool the cranberry mixture to room temperature, then pour it gently over the chilled pâté. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until the top sets into a clear, wobbly sheet.
- Serve with a clean edge: Slice with a knife warmed in hot water for those tidy, satisfying cuts. Pile onto toasts, baguette, or crispbreads.
Small upgrades that make a real difference
For extra silkiness, give the vegetables a 10 to 15 minute head start in the oven, then add the liver and roast about 20 minutes more. For the top layer, two tablespoons of sugar keep the cranberry bright and tart, which plays better with the rich pâté than full-on sweetness.