Smoked fish pate

Pate is one of those things, you either love it or hate it, and smoked fish is the same. But if you love one or the other, then you'll like this. 
It's ridiculously easy to throw together, plus it's much tastier than the store bought varieties. I used kingfish, but salmon or kahawhai would work just as well. 

Ingredients:

• 150g smoked fish, skin and bones removed (kingfish, kawawhai, salmon) 
• 125g cream cheese
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

In a food processor, blitz the smoked fish, cream cheese and lemon juice till well combined. You may need to stop occasionally and use a spatula to push it down the sides. 

Add capers and parsley and pulse to combine. 

Serve with crackers or crostini and pickles. 

Chicken Liver Pate

I've always wanted to make chicken liver pate, but always put it into the too hard box for some reason. However when I spotted free range chicken livers at the supermarket the other day I couldn't help myself. I've often seen brandy being used in chicken liver pate, but not having any I decided to use cointreau instead. This recipe was unbelievably easy to make, though you would need a food processor. The recipe I adapted recommended pushing the blitzed meat through a sieve before adding the butter cubes, however Im not sure that this part of the process was entirely worthwhile, though probably did add to the smoothness. 

Ingredients: 

• 120g butter - room temperature
• 250g free range chicken livers
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp cointreau 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary 
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper 
• 1 tsp salt (or more to taste) 

Melt 20 grams of the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add livers and fry 1 minute each side, then turning occasionally for about 4 minutes till cooked through and browned. Remove from pan. 

Add onion and garlic to same pan, cooking slowly till softened, return livers to the pan and add cointreau. Stir for a minute, then  pour all ingredients into the food processor. 

Once mixed, remove from processor and push through a course sieve (this is the part that is optional - if you are pushed for time or patience you could probably omit it for a slightly more textured pate), before returning back to the food processor bowl.

Set aside 20g of the remaining butter, and cube the rest. Add the rosemary, pepper and salt to the food processor. Turn back on and drop cubes of butter in allowing each to incorporate. 

Now that it is all mixed in and you have a smooth creamy pate spoon into a ceramic serving dish. 

Melt the remaining 20g of butter and pour over the top of the pate. 

Allow to chill overnight. Serve with crackers or french stick, chutney and cornachons. 

This recipe makes about a cup of pate. 

You could easily double the quantity and freeze portions of it in an airtight container for up to three months. 

To thaw, just remove from freezer and serve once at room temperature - great for those unexpected guests.