RECIPE
Ingredients
3 Med Onions
4 Cloves Garlic
3 Rashers of Bacon
250gm Butter
500gm Chicken Livers
2tbs Brandy
1 Chicken Stock Cube
½ cup of extra Booze to taste, I use a mixture of Marsala and Brandy
Method
Finely chop onions and garlic, melt butter in large fry pan and add onions and garlic, sauté until soft. Add livers, season with salt and pepper, cook for approximately 10-12 minutes. Add 2tbs brandy and cook for a minute, allow mixture to cool.
Add stock cube and extra booze.
Carefully pour mixture into blender and give a really good wazz. I find this aerates the mixture and gives a smooth texture. Pour into ramekins, cover top with melted butter and refrigerate until set. When serving bring to room temperature for best flavour.
Tell us about your mum's recipe Zoe!
Pate has always been included in the Christmas nibbles platter at our house, we all take turns in making it each year and commentate on who’s was better. we consider our family pate recipe to be special due to the amount of booze included but also the recipe been handed down from generation to generation. Originally I think it cam from the CWA cook book.
What is your favourite thing about the festive period?
The food! I love Christmas food. Since becoming a mum nearly 13 years ago I find the holiday period mostly stressful, there’s just too much on a mother’s plate at this time of year. But I’m always happy when Christmas day rolls around because I know I’m going to gorge myself on delicious things and drink too much champagne!
Share one unique thing your family does during the holiday season and what is the story?
I’m not sure we do anything particularly unique but the festive period is all about family time and sharing food. My family are all good cooks, so whoever’s house Christmas is at you know the food will be delicious. No one person does everything, we all have our specialties. My job since my great aunt passed nearly 15 years ago is to make the Sago plum pudding, this pudding is so incredibly delicious, I have converted many Christmas pudding haters over the years with this recipe but I’m afraid I’m not sharing this one!
And your most special Christmas memory?
Decorating the Christmas tree with my mum and sisters when we were little, dad was there too but he was more observing than assisting. Opening the old ratty ski boot box filled with sparkly treasures (some older than my parents) was one of the most exciting days of the year and it always happened on December the 13th (12 days before Christmas). The tree itself belonged to my great grandmother and is a white wire tree, mum still has this tree even though it’s barley sticks now after all these years. When I was a child and we were moving house the tree fell out of the trailer onto Whitehorse Road, we found it there while taking the next load to the new house. Thank-goodness it’s hard wearing, I’m pretty sure it had been run over a several times.
I wish I could create this memory with my children too, I’ve tried several times….but it just doesn’t seem to have the same magic. Maybe they view it differently though.