This Mary Berry Pan-fried Pâté is a savory and rich recipe, which is made with chicken livers and bacon. It’s a delicious appetizer, ready in about 1 hour.

Jump to Recipe

Mary Berry Pan-fried Pâté Ingredients

30 g (1 oz) butter
125 g (4 oz) chicken livers
5 shallots, coarsely chopped
125 g (4 oz) lean bacon rashers, rinds removed, coarsely chopped
60 g (2 oz) spinach leaves, shredded
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and black pepper
8 streaky bacon rashers, rinds removed
toasted bread and cornichons, to serve

How To Make Mary Berry Pan-fried Pâté

Cook the livers: Using kitchen scissors, trim the chicken livers by cutting away any tough membranes or greenish parts. Melt half of the butter in a frying pan, add the livers, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until they are browned on the outside but still pink inside.
Purée the livers: Transfer the cooked livers to a food processor and blend until smooth. Turn the purée into a large bowl and set aside.
Cook the aromatics: Melt the remaining butter in the same frying pan. Add the shallots and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until soft but not coloured.
Combine the filling: Add the cooked shallots to the puréed chicken livers along with the chopped lean bacon, shredded spinach, parsley, thyme, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Create the final texture: Transfer half of this new mixture back into the food processor and blend until smooth. Stir this puréed half back into the remaining chunky mixture in the bowl to create a pâté with a varied texture.
Shape and wrap: Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a small, neat log. Lay two rashers of streaky bacon side-by-side, slightly overlapping, and place a pâté log at one end. Roll it up tightly to enclose the pâté completely.
Cook the pâtés: Heat a clean, dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon-wrapped pâtés and cook them gently, turning occasionally, until the bacon is browned all over. Lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and cook over a very gentle heat for 35–40 minutes, or until the pâté is cooked through and firm.
Serve: Serve the pan-fried pâtés either warm or at room temperature, accompanied by toasted bread and cornichons.

Recipe Tips

Why only purée half the mixture? This technique creates a more interesting, rustic texture. You get the smoothness of a classic pâté combined with chunkier pieces of bacon and spinach for more bite.
How do I know the pâté is cooked through? The bacon should be crisp and the pâté should feel firm to the touch. You can also insert a skewer into the centre; it should come out hot.
Can I bake these instead of frying? Yes. For a different cooking method, you could wrap the bacon-wrapped pâtés tightly in foil and bake them in a bain-marie (water bath) at 160°C (140°C fan, Gas 3) for about 40-50 minutes.
Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely. These pâtés are delicious served at room temperature, so you can cook them several hours in advance. Let them cool and store them in the refrigerator.

What To Serve With Pan-fried Pâté

This rich pâté is perfectly complemented by sharp and crunchy accompaniments.

Toasted crusty bread, brioche, or crackers
Cornichons or other small, sharp pickles
A tangy tomato and onion salad with a vinaigrette dressing

How To Store Pan-fried Pâté

Refrigerate: Store cooked and cooled pâtés in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freezing is not recommended as it can affect the final texture of the pâté.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of bacon? Streaky bacon is best for wrapping as it is fatty and flexible, crisping up nicely around the pâté. You could use unsmoked or smoked depending on your preference.
What does ‘trim the chicken livers’ mean? It means inspecting the livers and using scissors or a small knife to cut away any tough, stringy membranes or any parts that have a greenish tinge, as these can be bitter.
Can I make one large pâté instead of four small ones? It would be difficult to wrap and cook one large pâté evenly in a frying pan. It’s best to stick to the four individual portions as directed in the recipe.

Try More Recipes:

Mary Berry Pan-fried Pâté Recipe

Course: AppetizersCuisine: British

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

260

kcal

Individual bacon-wrapped pâtés with a rustic texture of chicken liver, spinach, and herbs.

Ingredients

30 g (1 oz) butter
125 g (4 oz) chicken livers, trimmed
5 shallots, chopped
125 g (4 oz) lean bacon, chopped
60 g (2 oz) spinach, shredded
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed
8 streaky bacon rashers
Salt and black pepper

Directions

Melt half the butter and cook the chicken livers for 3 minutes until browned but pink inside. Purée in a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
Melt the remaining butter and cook the shallots until soft.
Add the cooked shallots, chopped lean bacon, spinach, herbs, and garlic to the puréed livers. Season and mix.
Return half of this mixture to the food processor and blend until smooth. Stir it back into the unblended half.
Divide the mixture into four logs and wrap each one tightly in two rashers of streaky bacon.
Heat a frying pan and gently brown the pâtés on all sides.
Cover the pan, lower the heat, and cook very gently for 35–40 minutes until cooked through.
Serve warm or at room temperature with toast and cornichons.