I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

May 5, 2012

Ploughman's Pate

















When we were younger Sunday lunch wasn't a roast, it was often a great platter of cold meats, cheeses, pickles and salad- basically a delicious Ploughman's Lunch.

A traditional Ploughman's Lunch is definitively English, but  does seem to vary according to region. Some include pork pie, sliced ham, or other meats, but what they all have in common are cheese, pickles and bread, usually washed down with an ale (or two)

I really like a snacky, nibbly meal like this that I can mix and match to suit my mood and what I happen to have in the refrigerator at the time.
My fridge is usually pretty well stocked with all sorts of odds and ends, and  today I just happen to have a packet of chicken livers in my fridge that are crying out to be made into a heart, rustic pate that will be perfect on my luncheon platter.

Offal is really nothing to be afraid of. It's cheap (500g of livers just $2ish), great protein, and actually quite yummy.
This recipe is a really easy way to try it out without too much effort or ickiness factors if you're squeamish.




















500g fresh Chicken Livers
200g Speck or Streaky Bacon
2/3 cup lactose free Cream
2 tab Brandy
3 cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Herbs





This is one of  your lovely fresh chicken livers.

















See how shiny and glossy it is, quite pretty isn't it? They aren't slimy or gross, and they don't smell at all.

All you need to do is cut off any of the white bits, then cut the larger part in half. Easy peasy.


















If you are still a bit worried about the flavour being strong and iron-y, just soak them in some lactose free milk or even water, with a decent pinch of salt for a couple of hours then dry them well

















Cut the speck or bacon into thick slices, then slowly cook them and the garlic without oil,
over a low heat until cooked and lots of the lovely smokey fat is rendered out
















Pull out the speck and garlic, but keep the fat in the pan and turn to high heat

Pop in the herbs-  I used sage, thyme and bay, then add in the dried chicken livers

Cook on high heat turning quickly. They aren't very big and won't take long at all to cook, only about a minute. You want them to be lovely and browned on the outside, but still just slightly pink in the inside.
If they are over cooked they go really sawdusty instead of soft and juicy

















Once just about done, pour in the brandy to deglaze the pan, then pull off the heat



















Take out the hard herbs and stems, then pop the lot into a blender.
Include all the pan fats and scrapings- they're full of yumminess. Add in the speck and the cream as well


















Blend until nice and smooth
















Put into containers, smooth the top, then place into the fridge.

The pate will firm up a lot once it's chilled, so if you want a softer consistency like peanut butter, add in some more cream, or even a chunk of butter.
I think it's definitely rich enough without it, and like to spread mine nice and thickly onto my bread















I went for so many yummy goodies with my Ploughman's Lunch- a semi hard earthy goats cheese, a crisp, sharp apple, some sweet, sour gherkins, warm crusty gluten free bread, and my lovely, silky pate, still slightly warm , and all washed down with a glass of Apple and Elderflower Cider.

Perfect for a picnic or Sunday Lunch.




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So my Dear Readers, what do you think of offal, and what did you eat for Sunday Lunch when you were growing up?










.

22 comments:

  1. Its strange - although I love to eat pate - I have always been too intimidated to make it myself. Must change that soon!

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    1. Be brave and give it a try Lisa, it's just so easy- and delicious!

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  2. I just bought beef liver a week ago (which I hadn't eaten since I was a child, and remembered as rather turning me off), and I was surprised that it was so inexpensive and actually tasted good. I made it Japanese-style with tamari and sake.

    I actually don't remember whether we had a traditional Sunday dish. I think rather not. I'm also not used to meat spreads (however I know Leberwurst but don't like it much), but I've developed a taste for cold meat. So I'll sometimes make a pot roast or just cook larger amounts of chicken I cut into pieces and roast with lots of flavorful herbs and spices. It's so practical to have something like that at hand when I'm hungry or have to take some food when being away from home for a longer time!

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    1. That sounds lovely Kath! It is so handy having something in the fridge to grab when you're in a hurry too.

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  3. We grew up eating this kind of pate - yumm! In a typical Danish household this would be served on french or rye bread with a dab of mayo and pickle beets - delicious!

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    1. Yummo! I love beets too, and the sharpness of the pickles would be a perfect match!

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  4. I love a ploughman's lunch. Love having a platter put in front of me where I can just help myself to a huge variety of yummy things. And I love pate too. I made a chicken liver pate from a recipe that was served to first class passengers on the Titanic. It was a wonderful pate. It didn't have speck in it though so I'd love to try your recipe xx

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    1. I bet the Titanic's recipe was as rich as the first class passengers were Charlie! Maybe mine would have been more at home with the rustics in third :)

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  5. I've just made chicken lover pate too! Mine has lots of butter, but no bacon - I really like the sound of yours, so I'll have a go at that next :-)
    All our neighbours had traditional Sunday lunches... we went to the beach - walked for miles and got big ice-creams on the way home... my mother was frowned upon for being different, but we loved it!

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    1. Good for Paleo too I guess Janet! I love the sound of the beach walks, much healthier than a big, heavy meal, and I'm all for flaunting convention :)

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  6. Rebecca, this is the best looking Ploughman's plate I've seen! :D

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    1. Why thankyou so much Lorraine! That's praise indeed :)

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  7. Love a good ploughman's! Reminds me of after my daughter was born when we enjoyed a good many picnics on the rug in our living room as we were too exhausted to cook :)

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    1. We've enjoyed many a floor picnic at our home too Christie!

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  8. Becca, I've just made chocolate coated almonds, if I bring some, can you please make me some pate? Oh bugger, it's too far, I might have to make my own pate, and I can now that you've given me step by step instructions. Thank you, thank you! Believe it or not, I've always baulked at not knowing how to clean and prep the livers, but I do now!! :) xxx

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    1. What a swap Celia, I think I'm getting the better end of the deal! I wish I could send you some, I did overnight express a big beef salami to Queensland for Mother's Day, but I don't think pate would travel well :) I'd love to see your version of pate, it's so easy and I know you'll put a great spin on it!

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  9. I grew up eating pate, and still love it. My hubby is not too excited about it though:)

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    1. His sad loss Tania, all the more for you! :) My hubby isn't as keen either, so I got to have the lions share!

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  10. Ohhh... I never knew pate was this easy to make! Sounds delish and omg at the all the delicious bacon involved. I want to try and make this one day! Hopefully I'll have other friends who appreciate the stuff just as much as me to share it with too. Otherwise, they'll just have to be good friends to me by trying them anyway =D

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    1. I'm sure it will be so yummy they'll gobble it up Winston, and I bet you have so many friends that they'll be fighting over it!

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  11. I was really anit offal but since being with Stud (who is Scottish), I actuaslly tried it done well and love it

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  12. I make a pate that my kids even eat but it is chunkier than that, more like chopped liver. My family also did the ploughmans lunch on a Sunday which I really liked but sometimes we also had tinned tomato soup - the only tomato soup I will now eat is tinned.

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