Some years ago I had the opportunity to work – work experience is perhaps the more accurate term – in the kitchen at the Lymehurst Hotel in the Lake District, under the guidance of Kevin Wyper, a Masterchef of Great Britain. He made, and I ably assisted in creating, the most wonderful chicken liver parfait: three kilograms of livers marinated overnight in a bottle of port with curry powder and dried chillies, finished with copious amounts of butter and cream. It was, as Kevin might say, proper heart attack stuff. It reminded me of the foie gras I used to enjoy in the Limousin. This is a knockdown version — scaled for a home kitchen, but the spirit is entirely Kevin's.

Kevin's Luxurious Chicken Liver Parfait – The Flexible Chef

A NOTE ON PARFAIT

In Britain, parfait means a very smooth pâté — blitzed to a silky consistency and set in a ramekin or terrine. In France, parfait refers to a frozen dessert. Don't get confused. And if you happen to find yourself near the village of Monbazillac in the Dordogne, the sweet white wine produced there is an ideal accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g chicken livers, cleaned
• Port, enough to cover — approximately 300ml
• 1 tsp curry powder
• A few dried chillies
• 60g shallots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 2 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped
• 50ml cognac
• 100ml cream
• 400g warm unsalted butter
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Chicken Liver Parfait

1. Place the cleaned livers in a bowl. Pour over enough port to cover, sprinkle with curry powder, and add a few dried chillies. Leave to marinate overnight.
2. The next day, remove the livers and pat dry, discarding the liquid and chillies. The livers will have absorbed most of the port.
3. Soften the shallots in a little butter over a gentle heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further minute.
4. Add the livers and cook, keeping them pink in the middle.
5. Pour over the cognac and flambé — stand back.
6. Allow to cool a little, then add the cream, the remaining warm butter, salt and pepper.
7. Blitz with a hand blender to a completely smooth paste.
8. Pass through a fine sieve if you want an exceptionally smooth result.
9. Transfer to ramekins or a terrine. Cover and refrigerate until set — at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
10. Serve with crusty bread or toast and a glass of Monbazillac if you can find one.

Kevin's version used three kilograms of livers and a full bottle of port. This version uses five hundred grams and produces something that comes surprisingly close. If you enjoy cooking with chicken livers, try the chicken liver pâté with orange — a simpler, lighter version using a poaching method rather than pan-frying.

This luxurious chicken liver parfait is part of the Pâté & Rillettes Recipes hub — a complete collection of pâtés and rillettes from Casa Adora and the road.
This parfait recipe is also part of the Chicken Recipes hub — a complete collection of chicken and poultry recipes from Casa Adora and the road.
It's also featured in my French Recipes, a collection of French recipes from a former Limousin restaurateur — confit, braises, fish, gratins, and van life French cooking from Casa Adora and the road.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef