Liver Pâté Canapés for the Party Table

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Peel the onion and carrot and cut them into large pieces. My onions were small, so I used 4; if yours are medium, use 2.

2. Step 2:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and cook the onion and carrot for 15 minutes over medium heat, turning them so both sides soften — you can cover the pan with a lid. The vegetables should turn tender.

3. Step 3:

   

   Trim the pork liver of any membranes and fat. Cut it into large pieces.

4. Step 4:

   

   Put half the prepped liver and half the vegetables into the cup of an immersion blender. Blend on low for 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining liver and vegetables. I did it in two batches simply because it all wouldn't fit — or wouldn't blend well — at once.

5. Step 5:

   

   Transfer the blended mixture to a skillet with vegetable oil (about 2 tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes over medium heat. Let the mixture cool.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put the mixture into the blender, add the butter in pieces, and blend into a smooth paste for 30 seconds. Again, I did this in two batches.

7. Step 7:

   

   And there's your pâté, ready to use.

8. Step 8:

   

   Slice the baguette and cut out the center of each slice, shaping them into ovals or rounds.

9. Step 9:

   

   Wash and finely chop the dill. Brush the tops and sides of the bread with softened butter and roll the sides in the dill.

10. Step 10:

    

    Here's what your bread bases should look like.

11. Step 11:

    

    Fill a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip with the pâté and pipe it onto the bread. Or you can simply spread the pâté on with a spoon.

12. Step 12:

    

    For garnish, I used thinly sliced dill pickle plus carrot rounds that I lightly toasted. Feel free to improvise with the decorations. These canapés look lovely and pair well with fresh cucumber, hard-boiled quail eggs, olives, and the like.