Appetizers:
Pate Cake with Black Mission Figs and Walnuts
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Fresh Chevre Torte
Wines: Jean and Dale
Dorte and Mark
Salad:
Wines: Peggy and Doug
Main Course:
Trio of ‘cakes’
*Smoked Shrimp Cakes with Roasted Corn and Poblano Relish and Cilantro Vinaigrette
*Etta’s Dungeness Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade Sauce and Green Cocktail Sauce
*Chayote Succotash Cakes
Sweet Potato Gratin
Wines: Jean and Dale
Peggy and Doug
Dessert:
Individual Lady Baltimore Toasted Coconut Layer Cakes
Wines: Dorte and Mark
Below is the recipe….some notes:
1. I used Madeira for the wine to soak the figs in; I quartered them before putting them in the wine (I see I was supposed to do that after – ooops); also I didn’t bother draining them after.
2. The first time we made this we used the full amount of butter – it was extremely buttery – almost too much so (for us)…when we made it the second time (for Sat) we cut down to 1 ¼ sticks of butter.
Chicken Liver Pâté with Figs and Walnuts
Bon Appétit | September 1999
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings  Nonstick vegetable oil spray 1 pound chicken livers, trimmed 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth 1 small onion, thinly sliced cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon Cognac 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1 cup dry red wine 3/4 cup dried black Mission figs 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts Fresh chives (for garnish) Red leaf lettuce (for garnish) 1 French-bread baguette, sliced, toasted |
Spray 3-cup soufflé dish or terrine with vegetable oil spray. Line dish with plastic wrap; spray plastic. Combine chicken livers, broth and onion in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until livers are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain cooking liquid; transfer chicken livers and onion to processor. Add butter, Cognac and salt to processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add figs. Let stand until figs soften, about 15 minutes. Drain wine. Quarter figs. (Pâté and figs can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep pâté refrigerated. Transfer figs to small bowl; cover and refrigerate.)
Unmold pâté onto platter. Press walnuts onto sides of pâté. Garnish top with chives and some figs. Arrange lettuce on platter with pâté. Place remaining figs atop lettuce. Serve with toasts.
