Kitchen Garden Forum

This is nice, as part of a nibbles package when you have people around for drinks.

chicken liver pâte


50g of butter
one small onion chopped
one to two garlic cloves crushed.
250 g or 8 ounces chicken livers, trimmed of all sinew.
Two anchovy fillets.
One Tbs cream.
Two to three Tbs marsala wine
pinch Of cayenne pepper
sliced small French loaf.
two to three extra garlic cloves.
Salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley to serve
small amount of paprika to garnish.



1 Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft but not coloured. Add the chicken livers and cook gently for about 10 minutes until they are just coloured, then add the anchovy fillets. Empty the above into a liquidiser add the cream , masala and a pinch of cayenne pepper and liquidise. Turnout into a container cover and refrigerate overnight

2 Rub garlic over each slice of bread, and add a drizzle of olive oil . Place on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated hot oven at 230c or 450f for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden . Turn once or twice during the baking to ensure and even colour. Allow to cool,
spread each slice with the chicken liver pâté, sprinkle on the chopped parsley and a little paprika. Serve

3 Sprinkle a little chopped parsley, and a little paprika, a liked over each slice before serving. Serve hot.

Hi Dave (Romany) and welcome to the forum.

Great recipe.
We love chicken livers and chicken liver pate. The only worry, given what the liver does, is the source of your livers. Most on sale will be by-products from the processing of intensively reared broiler house birds. We only trust livers from our own birds and from our local free-range chicken and duck farm. Neither are organic but neither come from birds over-fed and over-medicated and killed at 8 weeks.
I am sure there will be a source near Colchester.

Alan

Thank you for your welcome.

We are very fortunate here, our local butcher buys free range birds from a local source. And that is where my livers end come from.
But you have a good point. And while I am on here, I might as well post my home-made Bombay mix. Which seems to go down extreme you well with drinks

Bombay Mix


30g Thin pretzel sticks.
45g Butter.
1 Clove of Garlic crushed.
60g unblanched almonds.
60g Pine nuts.
60g unsalted cashews.
1 tsp of Worcester sauce.
1 tsp curry Powder (I use my own mix).
1/2 tsp Hot chilli powder
.60g Raisins (seedless)



1 I make this a lot, especially when we have friends around for drinks. Give a whirl, it is a zillion times better than the stuff you can buy.
2 Break the Pretzels into 1 inch sticks, melt th butter in a large skillet.
3 Add the nuts and cook over a medium heat for about a minute add the rest of the ingredients exept the Raisins and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
4 remove the pan from the heat and add the raisins,mix well.
5 Remove to a serving dish and allow to cool (I cool them in the refrigerator).
6 Serve with drinks.
7 Cheer's

Note, this from a chef friend of mine

Dave
if you mix Gram flour with a little Turmeric and salt, then add a little White pepper and water and make it into a soft dough, then put a golf ball sized peiceof this into a pototoe ricer and squeeze these strings into hot oil. then when they float, dry them on kitchen paper to cool, you`ll be much more authentic than using the pretzel sticks it really IS easier than it sounds

June

While I am at it I may as well give you the curry powder recipe that I use

Curry Powder


2 Tbs Cumin seeds
2 Tbs Fenugreek
1½ teaspoons Mustard seed
1 Tbs Black Peppercorn
8 Tbs Coriander seeds
1 Tbs Poppy seeds
1 Tbs Ground Ginger
1½ teaspoons Hot Chilli powder
4 Tbs Ground Tumeric



1 Grind the first 6 ingredients and then add the remainder.
2 Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 months

Hi again

Great to hear you have a reliable source of chicken livers. If you can get duck livers they are brilliant too.

Thanks for the other ideas. I have never heard of anyone making their own Bombay mix.

Alan

Alan
it is far superior to the stuff you buy.
I am fortunate enough to have over the years met and stayed friends with a great number of chefs with which I am in contact with, on an almost daily basis. Guess what we have been talking about for the last few days? Finger food lol. So if anybody needs ideas for nibbles. Just let me know

Yes please. Just post them here. We'll try them out!

Okay, here are a few more to be going on with.

I would like to add thanks to the chefs in question that have passed these recipes on to me



and Dave the Coriander Relish - sounds yummy! (See lyn,s crab cake)s


Mini Crabcakes with Coriander Relish By Lyn


1 Tbs Butter
4 Spring Onions thinly sliced
1 Egg
2 Tbs Sour Cream
350g fresh white Crab meat, excess liquid squeezed out
1 small yellow Capsicum finely diced
2 tsp chopped fresh Thyme
2 1/2 cups fresh white Breadcrumbs
Olive oil for shallow frying
,
Coriander Relish
.
1 Clove Garlic
1 Green Chilli, seeded
1/2 tsp ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup fresh Coriander
1/2 cup fresh Mint leaves
1 Tbs Lemon juice
25 ml Coconut Cream
1/2 Avocado



1 Melt butter in frypan over low heat. When it begins to foam, add the spring onion and cook for 2 mins or until soft. Remove from heat and cool.
2 Mix egg and sour cream until just smooth. Add onion, crab, capsicum, thyme and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Season with S & P and mix well. Shape mixture into flat rounds using a tablespoonful for each. Place onto baking paper lined tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3 When well chilled, coat the crabcakes in the remaining breadcrumbs. Cook in batches 2 to 3 minutes each side, or until golden. ( Just cover bottom of frypan with oil, not deep at all).
4 d
5 Drain on paper towels and serve warm with 1/2 tsp coriander relish on each.
6 Process garlic, chilli, cumin, sugar, herbs, lemon juice and salt until it forms a fine paste. Add the coconut cream and continue to blend until smooth. Add avocado flesh and use pulse action to process until just smooth. Chill mix.
7 Makes 24
8 ( We dont often get fresh crab but when we do, this is one of my favourite ways of using it. Except I do BIG cakes for me.


Shambles spinach balls (a variation on Jan's recipe).


3 oz spinach
Quarter of an onion minced
2 inches of celery stalk minced
one egg
1 tsp full of dried parsley
2 teaspoonfuls of dried Sage
half tsp full of dried thyme
1 tsp of fresh rosemary.
One Tbs of light olive oil
three or four almonds
three or four pecans.
1 tsp of light soy sauce (or to taste).
1 cup of breadcrumbs (I used baguettes).



1 Blend everything in a blender, preheat the oven to 350° roll mixture into walnut sized balls, place on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes
2 Note, this could be served as a starter dish in a serving dish with grilled on parmesan on top, and a basil and tomato sauce.


Shambles mackrel pâté


One peppered mackerel fillets. (pre-cooked)
One Tbs soured cream.
Threequarters of a tablespoon cottage cheese.
Nutmeg (a pinch)
butter 2 ounces
Lemon half a tablespoon full.
Garlic, once small clove.
Ginger, a touch of
cayenne pepper, a touch of (optional)
chives, one tablespoon full, chopped finely to be mixed in after blending.



1 Serves four
2 blend all but the chives taste the mixture and adjusts to personal liking refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Thia Meatballs and dipping sauce by Clive


RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For Meatballs:
1 1/2 lbs lean high-quality ground beef
1 red jalapeno or Fresno chile, seeded and finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tsp finely minced ginger (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 Tbs finely minced scallions
1/2 Tbs finely minced lemongrass, or 1/2 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbs minced cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs peanut, macadamia nut, or vegetable oil
. ..
For Sauce:
. .
Dave,mate...
..
The Peanut dipping sauce is something like this:
2 Tbs peanut butter
1 tomato, chopped
1 small piece spring onion ( white part)
1 clove garlic
1 1/2" piece ginger
2 Tbs coriander leaf
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 hot green or red chili
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil or Chinese peanut oil
Water to thin if necessary
Salt if necessary



1 Everything about this recipe-the flavors, aromas, and combinations of ingredients-will transport you to Southeast Asia, and give you a warm and exotic feeling even if it is fall outside.
2 RECIPE METHOD
3 TO PREPARE MEATBALLS: Thoroughly combine the beef, ginger, chile, scallion, lemongrass, cilantro, salt, pepper, and sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Divide the mixture evenly into 16 (or 20 smaller) balls. Heat the peanut oil in a sauté pan and cook the meatballs over medium-high heat, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, for 10 minutes (for medium), or to desired doneness.
4 TO PREPARE SAUCE: Place the coconut milk, peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, onion, shallots, garlic, curry paste, lemongrass, lime leaves, cilantro, and basil in a large saucepan. While stirring, bring just to a simmer over medium-low heat; do not boil. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasonings, and strain before serving. If you wish a thicker consistency, combine 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, stir to dissolve, and mix into the sauce until thoroughly combined; continue to cook until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
5 TO SERVE: Divide the rice among serving plates, and top with the meatballs and sauce.
6 WINE RECOMMENDATION: A wine of quality and strength, such as a Chianti Classico from Italy, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Medoc in Bordeaux, or a Hermitage from the Rhone Valley.
7 HELPFUL TIPS: Sticky rice or jasmine rice are good choices, but if you prefer, use regular long-grain white rice. We call for 1/4 cup of curry paste in this recipe, but you can reduce this amount or increase it by a tablespoon or so, depending on your heat tolerance.
8 .
9 For tha Sauce
10 Whack the whole lot into the blender until smooth. Taste, then start adjusting - more chili? More soy? More peanut? etc. Personally I like mine hot with a pronounced lemony flavour, but it's every one to his own.
11 If you haven't got any of the ingredients, use what's available - the most important is the peanut butter!

Mushroom Pate From Jean Via Billy Cotton


1 4 oz onion -- peeled and quartered
1 clove garlic -- peeled
3/4 lb crimini mushrooms -- cleaned & quartered
6 Tbs butter
3/4 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp salt
1 cup almonds -- toasted



the reason for the discussion on finger food, is that I am having a drinks and nibbles party for the neighbours This Saturday night.
The mushroom pâté, I made yesterday and tested this morning. I am very pleased with.



Gorgonzola Walnut Spread by June

June is a brilliant chef from New York, who regularly organises trips to France and specialises in French cuisine, she is also a long-standing friend of many years.


makes 5 cups
1 cup coarsely chopped and toasted walnuts (See Pantry)
8 oz Gorgonzola cheese, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
A few grinds of fresh pepper
A few drops of hot pepper sauce



1 I’ve never cared much for pre-made, vacuum-sealed cheese spreads. They always seem gloppy to me. This carefully hand made spread is completely different. It’s another “Judith Creation.” Please chop or break up the nuts by hand, so they don’t turn into crumbs.
2 1. Toast nuts. Thoroughly mix cream cheese and gorgonzola. Then add 1/2 cup of the chopped nuts. Turn into a decorative dish or small springform pan. Press remainder of the nuts into the top and chill until 30 minutes before serving time. Serve with plain crackers and slices of pears or clumps of grapes.
3 The spread may be prepared up to 2 days before serving, but if planning to do this, do not put nuts on top until just before serving so they will remain crisp.
4 Teacher’s Tip: This spread will have a much smoother consistency if you make it in a food processor. (It’s your taste.)

Thankyou. Can't wait to try those out.

you are more than welcome