You Will Need:

To serve

3 - 4 oval paté pots (12 cm x 9 cm wide)
or 8 medium size ramekin dishes (9 cm across the top) or 12 tiny ramekin dishes (6 cm across the top)
8 spring onions, finely sliced with green tops
3 T (45 ml) butter
250 g fresh chicken livers (here I would choose free range if possible)
1 cup (250 ml) fresh cream
3 extra-large eggs
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt
½ cup (125 ml) port or sherry or chicken stock
Sprigs of thyme
½ cup (125 ml) melted butter
melba toast made with ciabatta bread
2 x 85 g tins smoked oysters (optional)

Ina’s Tip

The total volume of the paté is 820 ml - to test if your dish/dishes are adequate to hold the volume, measure 820 ml of water and fill the dish/s up to nearly full to "fit for size" beforehand.

Method:

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 160 °C.

Butter ramekin dishes or oval paté pots.

Sauté the spring onions in the butter.

Leave to cool.

Rinse the chicken livers under clean cold water and remove any traces of green.

Place in a blender together with the cream and the eggs.

Blend very well until smooth down.

Add the spring onions, Seasoned Sea Salt and port.

Blend again until no texture remains.

Strain through a sieve into a large measuring jug. Discard solids. Pour into ramekins.

Place ramekins in a pan half-filled with boiling water.

Bake open for 20 minutes until the tops are just firm to the touch and the patés are slightly puffy.

Leave in the pan of water, until cooled down. (The bigger paté pots must be baked for 30 minutes).

Place sprigs of thyme on top of each paté and pour melted butter over to seal in the flavour and preserve the paté.

Delicious spread on bruchetta or melba toast and served with or without smoked oysters.