Jo Pratt's Chicken Liver and Green Peppercorn Pate with Sweet and Sour Shallots

This delicious starter looks impressive and travels well.

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   1. To make the pâté, trim the livers of any bitter-tasting green bits and sinew. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Crush the peppercorns with the back of a large knife or by pressing a saucepan base on top of them. 
   
   2. Melt a knob of your 150g of butter in a large frying pan, and gently fry the shallot until softened but not coloured. Add the livers, garlic, 1 sprig of thyme and the crushed peppercorns. Cook until the livers are browned but still soft to touch, and are pink in the middle. 
   
   3. Add the sherry or brandy and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a food processor, removing the thyme stalk. Blitz to a paste and then add the remaining butter and cream. Season with salt and blend until really smooth. Spoon into 6 small dishes and smooth over the surface. 
   
   4. Melt the remaining 50g of butter in a small pan, and leave for a couple of minutes for the milky solids to settle on the bottom of the pan. Pour the golden (clarified) butter on top of the pâté dishes, and decorate the top with some extra green peppercorns, plus a few sprigs of thyme. Leave in the fridge to set for a couple of hours or more. 
   
   5. To make the sweet and sour shallots, peel the shallots and cut into quarters, leaving the root intact, holding them together as wedges.
   
   6. Melt the butter in a frying pan, and gently cook the shallots until they are soft and becoming golden. This will take about 5-10 minutes. Increase the heat, scatter over the sugar and pour in the vinegar along with 1tbsp of water. Cook until the sugar dissolves and turns to a loose caramel coating the shallots. Transfer to a dish and leave to cool. 
   
   7. To serve the pâté, leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes to enjoy it at its best, and serve with a spoonful of the sweet and sour shallots and some toasted brioche or bread.