Method

Pâté

Prepare livers

Trim the duck livers: remove any connective tissue, green bits, and large blood vessels. Rinse briefly under cold water, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Cut any large lobes in half so pieces are roughly even.

Sweat aromatics

Melt 30 g of the unsalted butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add finely chopped shallots and minced garlic and sweat gently until translucent and soft, about 4–5 minutes. Do not brown.

Cook livers

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the trimmed duck livers to the pan in a single layer. Sear for 1–1.5 minutes per side until the exterior is lightly browned but the center remains slightly pink. Add the bay leaf and thyme during the last minute of cooking. Remove pan from heat.

Flambé (optional) & deglaze

Return pan to low heat, add the brandy or cognac, and tilt the pan to ignite briefly if you wish to flambé (stand back and be cautious). Allow alcohol to burn off for 30 seconds, then add the orange juice and orange zest to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the pan.

Blend

Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the cooked livers, shallots, garlic, pan juices, and any browned butter to a food processor. Add the remaining 50 g unsalted butter (cut into pieces), heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Process until very smooth, pausing to scrape down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a teaspoon more orange juice if desired.

Strain (for extra silky texture)

For an ultra-smooth pâté, press the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl using the back of a spoon. This step is optional but recommended for restaurant-quality texture.

Chill

Spoon the pâté into a loaf pan or ramekins, smoothing the top. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, or chill uncovered for 10 minutes then spread the softened 30 g butter over the surface to seal. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Finishing & Serving

Bring the pâté out of the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before serving to take the chill off for better flavor and spreadability.

Toast sourdough slices until golden and crisp. Cut to size if necessary.

Plate: Spoon or slice the chilled pâté onto the toasted sourdough or serve in the ramekin. Add a small spoonful of piccalilli on the side or atop each toast for acidity and texture. Garnish with microgreens or parsley if using.

Serve immediately. Leftover pâté will keep well, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Duck Liver & Orange Pate Recipe