I think that liver pâté is one of those foods that you either love or hate.  You'll probably love it if you didn't know that it was made of liver.  Growing up in South Africa, liver and onions was part of our menu offerings at home and at boarding school. I grew to appreciate it especially when everyone kept stressing the high iron content of liver which my body sometimes craves!  Therefore, transitioning to liver pâté was an upgrade.  These days, I make this easy and delicious liver pâté after I've accumulated enough livers to make this recipe.  At times, I like buying whole chickens that I will divide into the various parts depending on the recipe.  If using the whole chicken, I usually make a spatchcock chicken,  Cantonese poached chicken or soy sauce chicken for company.  Otherwise, I like using the breast fillets for stir-fry or Thai curry.  The skins I use to make crispy chicken crackling (chicken chicharrones!). The neck and organs without the liver is used for soup stock. 

This is a great recipe to serve for company on a charcuterie board or on its own. It's simple, delicious and can be made ahead of time, ready in time for company!

Tips for making easy and delicious liver pâté.

Saucepan

The key to good liver pâté is to minimize the amount of moisture in the liver mixture and to NOT overcook the liver.  In order to minimize the moisture, fry the ingredients in a large frying pan.  The large surface area will allow the water from the onion juice to evaporate quickly.  

Liver

Use poultry liver such as chicken, duck, goose etc.  Remove any connective tissue or tough parts from the liver and cut the liver into uniform pieces for even cooking. Ensure that the liver is completely thawed if using frozen livers to avoid uneven cooking. When liver is overcooked, it is very gritty.  Cooking the liver to the correct doneness will ensure a smooth, silky texture.

Onions

The onions provide the natural sweetness.  Dice the onion into uniform pieces so all the onions will cook at the same rate.  Initially when the onions are added to the butter, the liquid in the onions will cause the butter to boil rather than fry.  Continue to stir at medium temperature until all the liquid evaporates and the butter is transparent rather than opaque.

Bay leaves

The flavor of the bay leaves gives the liver pâté its unique taste.  You can add other flavors such as a small amount of alcohol like brandy or dried truffle powder for unique and interesting flavors.

Food processor vs. blender

When using a food processor, the processor is not powerful enough to make a smooth consistency.  Using a powerful blender ensures a smooth and silky texture.  The taste will be the same, it's just your mouthfeel preference.

The pâté will need to be refrigerated to solidify the liver mixture. Spoon the pâté into the serving dishes.  If you are short on time, use smaller containers as they will allow the pâté to cool and solidify faster.  The pate can be made a few days ahead of serving.