The Ramsons are so abundant along this riverbank during the spring; digging up a small handful of bulbs in the winter months won’t upset the balance in the slightest. A summer spent swelling gently in the soil leaves them plump and juicy - that garlic flavour is distinct as ever. If you'd prefer your pate to be really gamey just use rabbit; I like to tone down the strong flavour a touch though, so go 50/50 with chicken livers.
200g Rabbit livers
200g Chicken livers
100g Chestnut mushrooms, roughly torn
100g butter
3 bacon rashers, chopped
4 Large ramson bulbs
Fresh thyme leaves
Bay leaves
A splash of sherry
Salt and pepper
Fry the bacon in an oiled pan until crispy, then add the mushrooms to soften. Stir in the livers, brown for a few minutes (try not to cook them all the way through) then add the thyme, bay, chopped garlic and butter. Season, get a splash of sherry on the scene and stir through until the butter has melted. Spoon into a food processor, give it a brief blitz (I don’t like it too smooth), then spoon into ramekins. Create a seal with some clarified butter and a couple of bay leaves.
Would love to make this. Where do you get your ramson bulbs from?
ReplyDeleteIf you have a spot near you where you get your wild garlic leaves and flowers in the spring, head down with a trowel and you're bound to find some bulbs in the soil. I only do this because I know it's a particularly plentiful patch - don't want to kill it off!
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