Chicken Liver Pâté With Bourbon and Cranberry Gelée
from http://www.seriouseats.com/

FMM: This recipe was delicious. We did not push the liver puree through a strainer. It was going to take forever to push it through (we did try) and the puree was very smooth, so we skipped this step. After tasting the puree, we decided it could use two more tablespoons of brandy, which did give it a little boost of flavor.

FMM: I made this recipe again using 1/2 pound chicken livers. I used whiskey as that is what I had. I only added 2 Tbsp. of butter at the end as it seemed buttery enough and I wanted to add a thin film of butter on top to protect the pate. (Cool the pate in the frig, then melt the butter and cover the pate with a think layer. Be careful not to make divets in the pate as you pour.] I think this should be served cold and the higher amount of butter mixed in would have solidified it more. I added the currant gelee on top from this recipe, Chicken Liver Pate w/ Redcurrant Gelee a few hours before serving.

Designed for the Thanksgiving table, this chicken liver pâté is flavored with bourbon and apple cider, then topped with a cranberry gelée. It's silky, smooth, and perfect for a holiday gathering.

Another gelee idea: David Lebovitz makes a Port Wine Jelly to set on top of the pate.

2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons port wine, (155g, total)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin granules
pinch of ground allspice

To make the jelly, put the water and 2 tablespoons of the port in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let sit 5 minutes. In a small pan, warm the 1/2 cup of the port with the sugar, allspice, then pour it over the softened gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool until it’s tepid, then pour it over the back of a spoon (to avoid creating a divot in the pâté), over the chilled pâté.

Why This Recipe Works: Removing the livers from the skillet before deglazing with bourbon reduces the chances of overcooking them, which helps guarantee pâté with a silky texture. Passing the pâté through a fine mesh strainer produces an especially refined texture.

Note: You can use sweetened cranberry juice, but if you do, omit the sugar.

2 pounds chicken livers, trimmed of sinew and fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, minced (or onions)
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 ounces bourbon or American whiskey [add 2 more Tbsp. after pureeing]
2 ounces apple cider
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Cranberry topping:
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice (see note above)
1/2 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 1/4 tsp.)
2 tablespoons sugar

Pat livers dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until smoking. Cook half of the livers, turning, until browned on both sides and pink in the middle, about 4 minutes. Transfer livers to the bowl of a food processor. Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the skillet, heat until smoking and repeat with remaining livers.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, add shallots and thyme and cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Add bourbon and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until almost evaporated (you can flame the bourbon, but use caution as flames can leap high from the skillet). Add cider and cook until slightly reduced. Scrape shallots and any remaining liquid into food-processor bowl with livers.

Add butter and process, stopping to scrape down sides, until a smooth puree forms.

Set a fine mesh strainer over a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon or ladle, press and plunge liver puree through it. Season liver puree with salt and pepper and scrape into a large 1 or 1 1/2-quart ramekin or terrine, tapping against counter to remove air pockets. Smooth surface, then press plastic wrap directly against surface and chill in refrigerator until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle gelatin on top of cranberry juice and let stand for 15 minutes.

Transfer cranberry juice and gelatin to a small saucepan and stir in sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and juice is simmering. Remove from heat and let cool.

Gently pour cooled cranberry juice on top. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until cranberry juice sets, at least 2 hours. Pâté can be refrigerated for up to 5 days before serving.

Makes 1 terrine