Chicken liver and port pate with roasted pears

Step 1

For roasted pears, preheat oven to 180°C. Place pears in a single layer in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with vinegar and oil then sprinkle with sugar. Roast pears for 10 minutes then turn and roast for a further 10-15 minutes or until tender and glazed.

Step 2

Combine currants and 1/2 cup (125ml) port in a small bowl and set aside. Combine remaining port, garlic, cloves and rosemary in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil over medium heat for 8 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup (80ml). Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a small bowl then discard solids.

Step 3

Melt 25g butter in a non-stick frying pan, add livers then cook over medium heat, turning once, for 2 minutes or until livers have changed colour on the outside but are still quite rare in the middle. Process livers and cooking juices, port and garlic mixture, remaining chopped butter, eggs, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a food processor until mixture is very smooth. Using a small ladle, push liver mixture through a fine sieve placed over a bowl.

Step 4

Set oven temperature to 160°C. Lightly grease a 1 litre-capacity terrine or loaf tin and line base with baking paper then, if using a loaf tin, wrap outside of tin with foil to prevent seepage. Pour chicken liver mixture into prepared terrine or tin then place in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up side of terrine. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set: it should still be slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove terrine from roasting pan, cool to room temperature then refrigerate until firm.

Step 5

Sprinkle gelatine over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small, heatproof cup and stand for several minutes until softened. Place cup in a small saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until gelatine dissolves. Add gelatine to port and currant mixture, and combine well. Pour mixture over chilled pð¢tð©, making sure currants are evenly distributed then refrigerate for 2 hours or until jelly is set. To remove from mould, dip terrine briefly into hot water to loosen then turn out on to a platter. Cut pate with a hot, dry knife and serve slices with bread or toast and roasted pears.