Country Pâté

2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup minced onion
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
¾ pound calves liver, cut into small pieces
1 pound ground pork
1 cup lightly pressed down fresh white bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 medium clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground sage
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch crushed cloves
Pinch mace
Toast points (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Melt butter in skillet. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes.

Add onions and remaining ingredients to bowl of food processor. Pureé until well blended. (Note: if food processor bowl is not large enough to hold all ingredients, start with onions, chicken, and liver. Pulse blend until finely processed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well to thoroughly incorporate the seasonings.) To check seasoning, sauté a spoonful in a small frying pan; let cool. Taste. Correct seasonings as necessary, exaggerating the flavors since pâtés are served cold.

Line a 1½ quart (4" x 12") terrine pan with Release or aluminum foil (butter the foil). Pack pâté into pan; cover with well buttered wax paper, then with foil, allowing only 1-inch of overhang. Bake in a bain-marie (a pan of boiling water) in a 350° F oven for 1½ hours or until meat thermometer reads 162° F. Remove from bain-marie.

Cool for an hour. Weight down with a twin pan or a board and a 5-pound weight, such as canned goods. Refrigerate overnight. Remove weight. Let the pâté mellow for a day or two before serving. Serve with toast points. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Toast Points: Remove the crust from 1 loaf Pepperidge Farm thinly sliced white or wheat bread. Slice bread in half on the diagonal twice to form four triangles. Place the bread on a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350° F for 10 minutes or until golden brown and totally crisp. Store in an airtight container, such as a Ziploc bag.