by Simon Lusk
Pheasant Liver cooking with onions and port. Too many onions for the number of livers, but it still tasted good.
All the Quail I process I gut, even if I skin them. I skin some that I am going to use for Quail Pie, and pluck others I am going to pan fry. Pheasants I either breast and leg or pluck, and the ones that I pluck are gutted.
Whenever I am gutting birds I keep a small container for the livers, as they make superb pâté. They go into the freezer and come out when I want some pâté.
It is easy to save the livers, and I don’t like wasting any part of a bird I have worked hard to harvest.
Recipe
Quail or Pheasant Liver
Half a small
Onion
Port/ Brandy/ Red Wine
Sour Cream
Butter
Quantities vary according to the number of livers.
Pheasant Liver Pate with Ground Pepper
Instructions
1. Gently cook the onion in the butter until soft.
2. Add the livers & the liquor cooking thoroughly so the livers are cooked all the way through.
3. Put in a blender with sour cream.
4. Blend quickly for a rough pâté, longer for a smooth pâté.
5. Refrigerate.
The pâté can improve with age though is usually pretty good straight after it has been made. Serve with whatever you normally have pâté with. I like either water crackers or Vogels Very Thin Original Mixed Grain toasted. The toast warming up the pâté changes the flavour.