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Chicken Liver Pâté and French Baguette

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The whole point of a picnic is to be casual about it, unfussy – a literal walk in the park. Or is it? When food is like a religion to you, like it is to the French, every detail matters, just as it does with any gathering. And when it’s a romantic feast, it’s even more important. But that doesn’t mean you need to go overboard. Choose three staples you want to shine at your picnic. With a French-style picnic, that always includes baguette, which must be fresh, crusty on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. In the south of France, olives are obligatoire, and their quality must be excellent (and usually come with a story). And then, of course, provided you’re not vegan, a beautiful terrine or pâté and will anchor your spread with a satisfying savoury-ness. For the rest, choose sexy, bite-sized morsels that don’t make (too much) of a mess.

Chicken Liver Pâté and French Baguette AND MARINATED OLIVES

Prep Time: 20 hours (overnight proving) | Cooking time: 45 min | Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

for the baguette

250 g (270 ml) bread flour

5 ml salt

2,5 ml yeast, instant

7,5 ml honey

180 ml water, lukewarm

flour for dusting

5 ml olive oil, for brushing

for the chicken liver pâté

20 ml butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

250 g chicken livers

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

20 ml brandy

125 ml cream

for the marinated olives

50 g green olives

50 g kalamata olives

1 rosemary sprig

5 ml lemon zest

50 ml olive oil

METHOD

for the baguette

Baking bread for someone special or especially yourself can seem like a daunting task on its own, but it all comes down to that wonderful feeling of the ingredients slowly transforming into a dough in your hands, challenge yourself by making this bread by hand.

In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients together and be careful not to add the salt directly on top of the yeast. Mix the honey together with the lukewarm water in a large jug using a balloon whisk. Start by slowly adding the water to the dry ingredients while stirring with your other hand to incorporate the water.

Mix all the ingredients together until a sticky dough is formed. This will be the starter to your dough, allow to rest in the fridge overnight, recommend at least 12 hours for the process.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a surface that is lightly sprinkled with flour. Knead the dough using the heel of your hands, slightly stretching the dough as you knead. Continue for about 4 – 6 minutes or until the dough is smooth. This is a gentle process where we allow the gluten to develop. Place the dough in a bowl that is lightly brushed with olive oil and allow to prove for 1 hour or until double in size. Flip the dough around and prove for another 45 minutes.

Divide the dough into two or three equal parts and shape it into a ball. Start rolling the dough into the baguette shape and place it on a lined baking tray to prove for 30 – 45 minutes before baking. While the bread is proving for the last time, preheat the oven to 220°C. Place a large tray with water at the bottom shelve of the oven to create steam – make sure the water doesn’t evaporate completely before placing the bread in the oven.

The baguette can be dusted with flour before scoring the bread using a very sharp blade. Place the bread in the oven and turn the temperature down to 190°C. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the bread feels light when you pick it up or has a hollow sound when lightly tapping the bottom of the bread.

for the marinated olives

Place all the ingredients together in a small container in the fridge overnight to marinade.

for the chicken liver pâté

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft and translucent. Add the chicken livers and thyme. Gently stir the livers while frying. The livers must still be pink on the inside. Season with salt and pepper. Add the brandy and fry for 30 seconds. Flame the brandy. Take off the heat and place in a food processor. Blend until smooth, add the cream and blend. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Set the mixture inside a glass jar in the fridge for 1 hour before setting the jelly on top.

FRENCH PICNIC STAPLES

Bread (especially baguette)

Olives

Charcuterie

Terrines & Pâté

Cheese

Crudité – fresh veg sticks or fruit

OUR FAVOURITE CHEESES

SOUTH AFRICAN

Dalewood Lanquedoc

Belnori Kilomanjaro

Belnori Kalabash

Dalewood Boland

Langbaken karoo Blue

Forest Hill Manchego

Klein Rivier Stanford

FRENCH

Comte – minimum of  24 months matured

Morbier

Reblochon

Epoisses

Mimolette

Tome de Savoie

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