Duck Pâté
A delicate, once-in-a-lifetime recipe well worth its extravagance.
Ingredients
- 1 5-lb duck
- 1/4 cup cognac
- 1/2 cup Madeira wine
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1 lb bacon, chopped
- 1 lb pork breast, chopped
- 1 lb chicken livers
- 1 duck liver
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 tsp thyme
- 1 egg
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 bacon strips (approximately)
Directions
- Chop duck into small pieces, removing from the bone and cutting away the fat.
- Mix cognac and Madeira and marinate duck pieces in this mixture for 2 hours.
- Heat olive oil and butter in skillet. Once oil and butter are warm, sauté bacon for 3 minutes; stir.
- Add pork breast and sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken and duck liver and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Remove bay leaves, add egg, and pass quickly through food processor. Season to taste.
- Drain duck and discard marinade; sprinkle with pepper.
- Arrange bacon to cover bottom of ovenproof dish.
- Place duck in ovenproof dish and top with liver mixture. Cover with more strips of bacon.
- Press down with hands and cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Fill a larger ovenproof dish with one cup of hot water and place the foil-covered dish inside of it.
- Cook for 1 hour and 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool.
- While cooling, cut a piece of cardboard that will just cover pâté in ovenproof dish and wrap the cardboard in aluminum foil.
- Place this cover over the pâté, weigh down with something heavy, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- Serve cold and sliced.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 548
Calories from Fat 376 (69%)
(64%)Total Fat 42g
(69%)Saturated Fat 14g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 18g
(89%)Cholesterol 266mg
(22%)Sodium 518mg
(16%)Potassium 555mg
Total Carbohydrate 2g
(1%)Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 1g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(69%)Protein 35g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
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The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.