First of all I’d like to thank Margot of Coffee and Vanilla for nominating me in November’s Inspiring Food Photography. Competition is indeed tough, considering I’m up against Suganya of Tasty Palettes and Leemei of My Cooking Hut. Go and take a look, but don’t forget: VOTE FOR ME! Just kidding. Not really. Come on, make my day. I know you want to.
Back to food glorious food. Now I’ve tried a lot of different pâtés in my short lifespan; from restaurants, butchers, supermarkets and homemade, but this is by far the loveliest one I’ve tried yet. Chicken liver is always a winning ingredient in spreads like these but what makes this unique is the addition of butternut squash which suddenly cheers up the serious tasting liver flavour by lending sweetness to it all. It’s against my religion to use low-fat products, but this time I’ll make the exception, since the chicken liver already has a rich taste of its own. What can I say? Enjoyed with a few crudités on the side, this pâté definitely spruced up my otherwise boring diet…
Chicken Liver & Roast Butternut Squash Pâté
Preparation & Cooking: 1 hour – Chilling: 2 hours
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (weighing about 675-800g/1½-1¾lb)
- salt and ground black pepper
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, plus extra
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 400g (14oz) chicken livers
- 225g (8oz) low-fat cream cheese
- paprika or melted butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Cut the squash in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds, then arrange the halves in a small roasting tin. Season lightly, then drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until cooked and set aside to cool down.
- Heat the tablespoon oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic and chicken livers, then cook over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the livers are cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
- Scrape the cream cheese into the bowl of a blender or food processor and add the chicken liver mixture with the flesh of the butternut squash. Blend until smooth then add seasonings to taste.
- Scrape the pâté into a serving bowl and smooth the top. Chill for 2 hours, then garnish with a few dashes of paprika before serving. Alternatively, if you would like to seal the pâté, pour melted butter on top and keep in the fridge. Consume within 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestions
Crusty bread or melba toast is divine with this pâté. For those of you who prefer healthier options, vegetable crudités can be dipped into this pâté and enjoyed.
Notes
If you’re not bothered about the fat contents of your food you can substitute the cream cheese for a full-fat one.
I have been a chef for 10 years and I ca safely say I have never seen a pate with something like a squash mixed in but now that I have it makes complete sense as it would be lovely and smooth and as you say add a bit of the sweetness! Great idea!
You are welcome Michelle
Oh wow – clever clever! I can imagine the sweetness of the squash pairing beautifully with the livers and it’s nice to see that it’s a relatively healthy recipe too
This is a very creative dish: never have I seen a squash and liver combo. But hey, now that I have, I must say it looks delicious.
OH my. I really like chicken pate, but, never have I seen squash used. I think this looks absolutely amazing. This is actually something I am going to try. I love finding new food combinations that I never thought of. Don’t you just love food blogs?