Pork Liver Pâté

Method

1. 01

   Step 1: Soak it in milk

   Trim the membranes, cut the liver into large pieces and cover with milk for 2 hours in the fridge. Milk draws out the bitterness and the sharp metallic note.

2. 02

   Step 2: Dry it

   Drain and blot the liver thoroughly. Wet liver does not brown in the pan; it steams in its own moisture.

3. 03

   Step 3: Soften the vegetables

   Fry the onion and carrot in oil for 10 minutes until soft and sweet, adding the bay leaves. Set them aside.

4. 04

   Step 4: Fry the liver briefly

   Over high heat, three minutes a side. The centre should stay faintly pink — overcooked liver is permanently dry and grainy.

5. 05

   Step 5: Blend with the vegetables

   Remove the bay, put the liver and vegetables in a blender with salt, pepper and nutmeg and blitz for 3 minutes, until perfectly smooth.

6. 06

   Step 6: Beat in the butter

   Add the soft butter in pieces with the motor running. The mass pales and lightens — butter is what makes pâté creamy rather than tacky.

7. 07

   Step 7: Pass it through a sieve

   For restaurant smoothness, push it through a sieve. Five tedious minutes that give a completely different texture.

8. 08

   Step 8: Chill under butter

   Pack it into a dish, level it, pour over a thin layer of melted butter and chill 4 hours. The butter seal keeps the pâté from drying and darkening.