Cranberry Apple Duck Liver Pâté

When I’m brainstorming ways of cooking duck meat I always associate fruit.

Duck has a strong, rich, earthy flavor that is smoothed and refined by adding a natural sweetener like apples, dried fruit, or dark complex berries.

Duck liver is essentially the same and needs a careful balance of sweetness to bring out that complexity of flavor. This apple cranberry duck liver pâté achieves that balance in the most sophisticated way!

Variety Meats, Offal, and Organ Meats

Adding some of the often overlooked variety meats, offal, and organ meats into your diet is a great way to get an abundance of nutrients. Almost all traditional cultures prized the variety meats of animals as superfoods. Some examples of variety meats are the liver, gizzard, heart, kidneys, sweetbreads, stomach, and brains of animals.

Liver happens to be one of the most nutrient-dense foods available and contains abundant fat-soluble vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, essential fatty and long-chain acids, iron, choline, copper, zinc, folate, and antioxidants!

Remember that truly healthy food must come from healthy animals and that means you need to look not only for organic but for pasture-raised animals that have access to clean grass, fresh air, and sunshine!

For more information about the health benefits of liver and a delicious chicken liver pâté recipe please see Pastured Chicken Liver Pâté – With Shallots, Thyme, and Cognac.

Preserving Pâté

The best way to keep a jar of pâté fresh is to top it with a layer of melted clarified butter. The clarified butter seals the pâté, keeping it from oxidizing or absorbing off-flavors.

A sealed jar of pâté can be kept in the refrigerator for at least 7 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once the seal is broken, it is best to eat the pâté within 5 to 7 days.

What To Serve With This Beautiful Pâté 

These are a few really great combinations that I personally love!

#1. Sourdough Bread 

I’m working on a baguette recipe as pictured with the pâté in these photos, but in the meantime you should try my Perfect Sourdough Boule! Cut slices of boule and butter them. Cut each slice into small squares and then grill them on a hot cast-iron pan over medium heat until crisp. This makes perfect little toast points that can be served with pâté or soft cheese.

#2. Sourdough Crackers

I have several cracker recipes on Butter For All, but my Rustic Sourdough Butter Crackers are by far and away my favorite. This cracker recipe makes a big batch so you will have plenty for pâté and snacking! If you don’t feel like rolling out any dough, try my new Sourdough Discard Crackers With Rosemary and Olive Oil.

#3. Crispy Pecans

My low-carb and grain-free peeps are going to love this idea. Sally Fallon Morell, who co-wrote the groundbreaking nutrition cookbook Nourishing Traditions, shares a technique for making raw nuts (like pecans) even more nutritious and digestible. Raw nuts are soaked overnight with a little bit of salt to help neutralize enzyme inhibitors and then slowly dried until crispy! Spread these buttery and crispy pecans with pâté and prepare to fall deeply in love!

#4. Grain-Free Almond Crackers

Not everyone can enjoy grains, even when they are properly prepared. If you are one who has parted ways with grains then you will appreciate my recipes for low-carb almond flour crackers with nutritional yeast or with sesame seeds. These crackers make a great accompaniment to cheese plates, guacamole, yogurt dip, and pâté. Not to mention they are keto friendly!