Pate Salad

Pate Salad is a delightfully indulgent yet fresh twist on classic chicken liver pâté, served with crisp lettuce in place of toast for a lighter, crunchier experience. Salty streaky bacon and tangy pickles provide perfect contrast, creating mouthfuls that are rich, smoky and bright all at once. A playful, elegant way to serve pâté that always sparks conversation — and repeat helpings.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Chilling 2

Servings Portions

Ingredients

For the Pâté:

400 g chicken livers trimmed
1 small onion shallot finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
100 g unsalted butter plus 50g extra for sealing
1 tbsp brandy whisky or port optional
½ tsp dried thyme a few sprigs of fresh thyme
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

For the Salad Assembly:

10 medium lettuce leaves crisp cos, romaine or butterhead
8 rashers streaky bacon cooked until crispy
4 medium pickles cornichons, gherkins or pickled onions

Instructions

Melt half the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook gently until soft and fragrant.
1 small onion, 100 g unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic
Add the livers and thyme to the pan. Fry for around 3–4 minutes per side until browned outside but still slightly pink inside.
400 g chicken livers, ½ tsp dried thyme
Pour in the brandy, whisky or port if using, and let it bubble briefly to cook off the alcohol.
1 tbsp brandy
Transfer everything to a food processor. Add the remaining butter along with salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and silky.
100 g unsalted butter, salt, black pepper
Spoon the mixture into a ramekin or serving bowl. Melt the extra 50g of butter and pour over the top to form a sealing layer. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Lay the bacon rashers in a cold frying pan without overlapping. Turn the heat to medium and let the fat slowly render out. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
8 rashers streaky bacon
Lay out the lettuce leaves on a platter. Place the chilled pâté front and centre, arrange the bacon strips alongside, and heap the pickles into a little dish or scatter artfully around the edges.
10 medium lettuce leaves, 4 medium pickles
Encourage guests to build their own lettuce-wrapped Pate Salad.

Nutrition