Pig's Liver, Clove and Apple Pate

Strictly for my fans of fruit and meat.

Ingredients

Pig's livers (about 400g)

Shallot

Garlic

Clove

Bay leaf

Brandy

Cream

Butter

Apple

Clove

Thyme

Method

Soak the livers in milk. Fry the shallot on a low heat in loads of butter. Add the minced garlic, bay leaf and clove. Remove the livers from the milk and add to the pan. Cook them quite well, but not over done.

Season generously throughout with salt and pepper, as always.

Add this mixture to the blender (except the leaf), then deglaze the pan with brandy and cream. Add this liquid to the blender. Whizz for a few minutes to get it smooth.

Empty this mixture out into a sieve. Squeeze it through to get a fine paste. This takes a lot of work, but the texture is much better for it.

Put the smooth pate into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Skin and slice an apple. Get a pan of butter on the hob and add some thyme. Put in the slices of apple and crushed clove. Brown the apple on both sides. Layer it on top of the pate.

Melt some more butter and cover the pate with some of the froth that rises as the butter melts.

Leave it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and serve on warm, crusty bread.