Christmas Liver Pâté with Anchovies and Spices
Print Recipe
It's traditional to serve a luxurious liver pâté (leverpostej) at Christmas time in Denmark.
Ingredients
- 300 g pork liver
- 200 g fatback pork fat
- 1 whole onion
- 20 g anchovies
- 40 g wheat flour
- 250 ml cream
- 30 g butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp dried wild garlic
- 1 tsp ground chipotle
Instructions
- If the pork liver and fatback are not already minced, mince them along with the onion for a finer and more evenly distributed flavor. For a finer texture in the finished pâté, you might want to mince twice. Finely chop the anchovies and mix them with the liver, fatback and onion.
- Add egg yolks, salt, pepper, allspice, thyme, dried wild garlic, and ground chipotle to the mixture.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the wheat flour, stirring until it forms a solid mass. Gradually add the cream while whisking. Once the cream sauce has cooled, mix it with the liver mixture.
- Transfer the finished mixture into aluminium trays or an ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated fan oven at 180°C for 50-60 minutes in a water bath.
- The pâté can easily be prepared during December. Follow the recipe up to the point of pouring the mixture into moulds. Freeze them, and you'll have a homemade liver pâté ready quickly and easily. To enjoy, thaw and bake as per the recipe. If you haven't completed thawing, add approximately 15 minutes to the baking time.
- Optionally, serve with fried mushrooms and/or bacon.
Notes
Note on Fatback (Spæk): Fatback is a cut of meat from a pig, specifically the hard fat from the back of a pig. It's used in various culinary preparations for its richness and ability to add flavor and texture. In the UK, it may not be as commonly used as in some other cuisines, so you might need to request it specifically from your butcher. It’s a key ingredient in traditional recipes like this one, providing both flavor and a unique texture to the liver pâté.
If you're mincing the liver and fatback yourself, consider putting the onion through the mincer as well.