Chicken liver parfait

Melt the butter slowly; remove from the heat as soon as it has melted.

Mince the shallots. Drain the chicken livers and trim them away from connective tissue, impurities and blood spots.

Sweat the shallots in some of the melted butter until fragrant.

Add the chicken livers and saute on full heat for less than a minute; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the livers to a frozen tray lined with parchment paper, cool a little, then refrigerate until ready to blend. Keep the liver cold or the mixture may turn grey from friction during blending.

Blend the chilled livers with the brandy, eggs, salt, pepper and butter for about 40 seconds, then pass through a chinois.

Fill the prepared pans and refrigerate at least two hours so the mixture sets completely before baking.

Cook in a bain-marie for 30 minutes or so at 325F / 160C.

Remove from the hot water immediately, let cool and refrigerate overnight.

To unmold, warm the bottom of the pan quickly over the flame, flip and demold, remove the parchment, glaze with duck fat and keep refrigerated.

Variation: for a sous vide cook in a silicone cannoli mould, optionally topped with toasted pandemi, freeze the parfait overnight before vacuum sealing; switch off the sealer before the mould flexes too much.

Variation: cook sous vide at 154.4F / 68C for one hour and 45 minutes, cool in ice water and freeze overnight before unmolding.

Glaze with duck fat to keep the pâté from drying out and top with chopped lemon thyme.