Let’s get something out on the table right off the bat. I realize there’s 4-letter word in that title that’s got some of you thinking about clicking the “back” button faster than I can spread this delicious stuff on a crostini and stuff it into your mouth to change your mind.
I know pate makes some people squeemish. I get that – I used to be one of them…until I tried this.
The Day I Ate Pate…and Loved It!
It was part of the lunch menu at the Weston A. Price Foundation’s Regional Conference I attended a couple of months ago. Our table just couldn’t stop talking about it and finally requested the recipe from the chef.
It turned out that the ingredients and recipe were generously donated by Windy Meadows Family Farm (If you’re in Texas, definitely check out the link for purchasing/delivery locations!). Their recipe is an adaptation from Nourishing Traditions, and I’ve added just a few minor tweaks of my own (added pepper as well as more herbs and butter).
It has a totally different flavor than pates I had tasted before – the fresh herbs, white wine, and butter are a wonderful combination, and are even better spread on a slice of toasted sourdough!
Chicken Liver Nutrition
The beauty of pate isn’t just in the rich flavor – it’s in the nutrition. Liver is touted for its iron content – and rightfully so, but that’s just the beginning.
Take a look at this chart summarizing the nutrient profile of chicken liver:
| Blueberries | Kale | Red Meat | Chicken Liver | |
| Calcium | 6.0 mg | 72 mg | 11 mg | 11 mg |
| Phosphorus | 12 mg | 28 mg | 140 mg | 405 mg |
| Potassium | 77 mg | 228 mg | 370 mg | 263 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.9 mg | 3.3 mg | 11.6 mg |
| Zinc | 0.2 mg | 0.2 mg | 4.4 mg | 4.0 mg |
| Vitamin A | None* | None* | 40 IU | 13,328IU |
| Vitamin D | None | None | Trace | Trace |
| Vitamin E | 0.6 mg | 0.9 mg | 1.7 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Vitamin C | 9.7 mg | 41 mg | None | 27.9 mg |
| Niacin | 0.4 mg | 0.4 mg | 0.5 mg | 11 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg | .07 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | None | None | 1.8 mcg | 16.8 mg |
| Folate | 6 mcg | 13 mcg | 4 mcg | 578 mcg |
(All listings are based on a 100 gram or 3-4 oz serving; Data sources: 1, 2, 3)
Pretty impressive. Pate easily outdoes the “healthiest” fruits and vegetables when it comes to nutrition – Does that surprise you?
I grew up, and maybe you did too, trying to eat less (less volume, fewer calories, etc.); but I’ve since learned that we should really be trying to eat more (more nutrients per volume of food). Liver from pastured animals is a clear winner when it comes to nutrient density!
Chicken Pate with Rosemary, Sage and White Wine
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp pastured butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 of one large yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 pound white mushrooms washed and chopped
- 1/2 pound pastured chicken livers chopped into 1" pieces
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp chopped fresh dill weed
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 3 oz cultured cream cheese or cream fraiche
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet, then add garlic, onion, mushrooms and livers. Saute until vegetables are softened and livers are no longer pink.
- Add wine, lemon juice, cayenne, mustard, dill, rosemary and sage. Simmer until about half the liquid has evaporated.
- Turn heat off. Add cream cheese/cream fraiche and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the cooked mixture to a food processor and buzz it a bit until it's the consistency of a dip/spread. (optional)
Notes
Are you a pate lover? What’s your favorite way to eat it – on crackers? on a sandwich? on veggie slices?
Can this recipe be used with beef liver? I’ve already put mine through the food processor and have it frozen in 1.5oz cubes.
Of course – the beef liver will just have a stronger flavor than the chicken.
I love food! I love cooking, eating, looking at, smelling…and when I was able to try this delicious pate, I was so impressed by the deliciousness that my life has been denied until the first bite.
I can’t wait to eat again. You can taste the herbs, the garlic, onions, the wine and oh, it’s so creamy that you won’t regret… It’s without a doubt one of the best things I’ve ever tasted in my life!!!!
Wow, thank your for such a glowing review, Marisa – I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed it so much!