The first thing that came to mind while re-reading Year in Provence for our second rEATers book club was pâté. Creamy, silky, and oh-so-French, it was the perfect dish to dig into while discussing the ebbs and flows of Peter Mayle’s impressive book. I’d never made pâté before, and—after a good deal of research—I settled on a chicken liver recipe that was quite the hit. Enriched with salty bacon fat, and a good shot of Calvados, it was just the rich, earthy flavor to get us in the mood for a discussion of all things Provençal. With Katzie’s spread of wood mushroom-brie crostini, flowering kale salad, and celery root remoulade (and a few bottles of wine), our stomachs were filled French-style by the end of the evening.
Our discussion of Year in Provence was a fitting background to this rich and glorious meal: I first read the tome in high school, and quickly fell in love with the romanticism of the European lifestyle. I couldn’t wait to retire to France and eat my way through the countryside. In my second read, the book felt a bit less romantic. Perhaps it was my older age, or the fact that I’ve now traveled a good deal through Europe, but some of that dreamy facade fell away. The other rEATers agreed with me; during our meeting we discussed how unrealistic the book seemed at times—a rich couple with nothing to worry about other then rebuilding a Provençal home—to a group somewhat shocked by the country’s economic status. And, as retiring is far from our 20-something minds, it all seemed a bit impractical. But for the most part, the group enjoyed the rich scenes and reading about a culture where food is held on such a high pedastool. And of course, eating and drinking French-style for the evening is never a bad thing.
Chicken Liver Pâté, adapted from Bon Appètit
10-15 servings
½ cup bacon fat, room temperature
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 handful thyme
1 pound chicken livers, cleaned
½ cup water
1½ cups unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Calvados or Brandy
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Small (2–4-oz.) glass jars or bowls
Add a spoonful of the bacon fat to a large sauté pan and place over low heat. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme, and heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the livers and the water, turning up the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the livers are firm but still pink inside, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, and discard the thyme. Place the livers, shallot, and garlic in a food processer and blitz until a paste begins to form. Add the remaining bacon fat, and continue to mix. Slowly add in the butter, until a smooth, creamy consistency forms. After all of the butter is incorporated, add the Calvados, and season with salt and pepper. Blitz one more time to incorporate all the flavors.
Strain the mousse through a fine chinois and pour into glass jars. Allow to set until firm in the refrigerator, then pour a small amount of melted butter over the top to form a seal. Store for 3 to 5 days, refrigerated.
