Smoked mackerel pâté

Ingredients:

400g smoked mackerel

200g cream cheese

3 lemons

1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

2 sticks of celery, finely sliced, plus some of the celery leaves

extra virgin olive oil

6 slices of good bread

Method:

Peel the skin off the smoked mackerel and discard. 

Put the fish in a food processor, breaking it up slightly as you go. 

Add the cream cheese, the zest and most of the juice of 1 lemon and a few leaves of parsley. 

Whiz for 20 seconds or so, or until you get a nice creamy pâté. 

Season to taste.

Toss the snipped cress, remaining parsley leaves and celery leaves together in a large bowl, and add the celery sticks.

Dress with a good squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper.

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Chicken Liver Pâté

Ingredients:
250g chicken livers
125g butter
1 large onion (white), chopped
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
20 – 40ml brandy
freshly ground black or white pepper
Thinly sliced stale baguette for the melba

Method:
Melt the butter in the pan and saute the onion for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add the chicken livers, garlic and bay leaves and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the chicken livers are just done – about 4 – 8 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the brandy just before finishing off and allow this to cook for a couple of minutes.

Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Remove the bay leaves and blend in a food processor until it is as smooth as it will go. It takes a few minutes. 

Season with salt and lots of freshly ground white pepper (to taste). Spoon the pate into ramekins or other serving dishes and cool.

When cool, melt some butter and pour over the pâté which looks pretty decorated with a bay leaf. 

Cool in the fridge until serving.