Instructions

1. Clean the livers of any fat and sinew.
2. Heat about 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the livers for a few minutes on each side until they are nicely browned but still pink and soft in the centre. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your saucepan. Remove the livers to a plate and let them rest.
3. Add another 1 tablespoon of the butter to the saucepan and gently sauté the shallots (or onions) and garlic for a few minutes until they have softened.
4. Return the livers to the saucepan, together with any juices which have collected in the meantime. Increase the heat to medium-high and pour over the Madeira. If you are brave, ignite the alcohol and let the flame subside. Otherwise, just let the everything bubble away for a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated from the saucepan.
5. Pour everything from the saucepan into a food processor and blitz until it is smooth.
6. Add the remaining butter, cream, sugar, salt and white pepper and whizz again until everything is well-combined.
7. Taste for seasoning.
8. If you want your pâté to have a silky, smooth texture (and therefore make a chicken liver parfait), pass the mixture through a fine sieve. This can be messy work but will produce a more appealing pâté.
9. I like to serve pâté in small bowls or ramekins as I think it looks more attractive in small quantities, but you could, of course, make one large serve. Pour the mixture into your bowl (or bowls) of choice and sprinkle over some brined green peppercorns for decoration.
10. If you wish to add a layer of clarified butter, simply melt about 100 g (3.5 oz) of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat and let it simmer gently until all of the milk solids rise to the surface. Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the milk solids with a spoon. Line a small strainer with some muslin or cheesecloth and hold it over a small bowl. Strain the melted butter to remove any remaining milk solids. Pour the clarified butter directly over the pâté and leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes until the butter has set.
11. Cover the bowls with clingfilm and leave to set in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving, but overnight is better.