Chicken liver parfait with orange marmalade and toasted sourdough

Serves - 6 as a starter

You’ll need

• 400g chicken livers
• 150ml whole milk
• 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 25g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp brandy or Cognac
• 75ml double cream
• 175g unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

For the orange marmalade
• 4 tbsp good-quality orange marmalade
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• Small pinch of sea salt

To serve
• 6 thick slices sourdough
• A little olive oil or softened butter
• A few thyme leaves, optional

Method

1. Prepare the chicken livers

Trim the chicken livers carefully, removing any sinew, pale connective tissue or greenish patches. Put them into a bowl, pour over the milk and leave to soak in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps soften their flavour and gives the finished parfait a gentler, smoother character.

Drain thoroughly, pat dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt and black pepper.

2. Soften the shallot

Melt the 25g butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the shallot with a small pinch of salt and cook gently for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute. Keep everything pale and sweet here – browned garlic has a habit of making itself the most memorable part of the dish, and not in a useful way.

3. Cook the livers thoroughly

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken livers. Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning regularly, until browned on the outside and cooked all the way through, with no pink or bloody centres remaining.

Try not to cook them any longer than necessary. The aim is properly cooked and tender, rather than grey, reluctant and wondering why nobody intervened.

4. Add the brandy and cream

Pour in the brandy or Cognac and let it bubble for about 30 seconds, scraping up any savoury bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the double cream and simmer gently for another minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

5. Blend until silky

Tip everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the softened butter a few pieces at a time, blending well between each addition, until the parfait is glossy and fully combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. The richness needs a confident amount of salt, but it should still taste refined rather than as though it has been preserved for a long sea voyage.

6. Strain and chill

Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing it through with the back of a spoon. It is a slightly laborious business, but this is what separates a truly smooth parfait from a perfectly respectable pâté.

Spoon into individual ramekins or one serving dish, smooth the surface, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

7. Sharpen the marmalade

Put the marmalade, orange juice, cider vinegar and a tiny pinch of salt into a small saucepan. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring until loosened and glossy.

Leave to cool completely. The finished marmalade should still be sweet and distinctly orangey, but with enough sharpness to cut neatly through the richness of the parfait.

8. Toast the sourdough

Brush the sourdough lightly with olive oil or butter, then toast in a hot griddle pan, frying pan or under the grill until golden and crisp on both sides.

You want a good sturdy crunch here. Delicate toast will only surrender the moment the parfait reaches it.

9. Serve

Take the parfait out of the fridge 15–20 minutes before serving so it softens slightly. Serve with the orange marmalade, warm toasted sourdough and a few thyme leaves if you like.

A couple of helpful notes
- Chicken livers should be cooked thoroughly, with no pink or bloody centres remaining.
- The parfait can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Add the marmalade only when serving.
- For a slightly finer presentation, spoon a thin layer of melted clarified butter over the chilled parfait and allow it to set before covering.