Chicken liver pate is always a popular light way to start a meal... Nice and informal and not too filling, but tasty enough to tune one?s taste buds for the main course to follow.

There are many different recipes for this classic dip but the one I like most is when you use a little oopsie of brandy to give it a nice lift.

I also add garlic to my chicken liver dip, the way they like it in the southern regions of France.

The beauty of this dip is that you can make it in advance which means less time in the kitchen when friends and family gather for festive celebrations.

Chicken pate is quick and easy to make and all you need is:

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed and finely chopped

55ml brandy

2 shallots or a medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped

450g chicken livers

1 glass of milk

125ml soft, room temperature butter

60ml chicken stock

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 basil leaves, chopped

3 hard boiled eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Slice the bitty pieces from the livers and place them in a bowl and cover with glass of milk then leave for 30 minutes.

Remove livers from milk and pat dry, then slice into pieces.

Heat a pan, add one tablespoon of the butter and gently fry the onion, garlic and chopped liver for about four minutes.

Add the stock, chopped basil leaves and the brandy, simmer for five minutes then remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Shell the eggs and chop coarsely and set aside.

Spoon the liver and onion mix with the cooking liquid into a blender and blitz to a smooth consistency.

Add the rest of the soft butter, salt, pepper and mustard and mix well.

Add the chopped egg to the liver and mix in with a fork.

Spoon the pate into a bowl, cover and chill for about two hours before serving.

Serve with crusty bread or Melba toast.