Looking for the rest of the Superabundant newsletter?

Subscribe now to get original recipes, PNW food news, and ideas for the kitchen and garden!

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the sheer ease with which I can turn a few ingredients into something that looks like it walked straight out of a French country bistro.

Like, Edith Piaf in the background, bicycle with a bouquet in the basket, straight out of central casting. Sure, you can zhuzh — but you’re really better off doing less.

It’s high cherry season, and while clafouti, crisps, and buttery turnovers will always hold a dear place in my heart, sometimes the sweet + savory math just really maths.

If you’ve ever had cherry compote with venison or seared foie gras, you know what I’m talking about. (This is why I always slip a shmear of raspberry jam into a grilled turkey and Swiss, and why sharp cheddar will always be my favorite pairing for apple pie.)

We’re also at the late end of spring porcini season, another local ingredient that happens to be delicious with cherries, but if you don’t pick your own or have a buddy who does, they can be a pretty flush addition to a snack platter.

Classic French mom-style chicken liver pâté is the perfect meeting point here — chicken livers are about as cost-effective as you can get in an animal-based protein, and the porcini still bring their elegant earthiness, even in an affordably small amount.

Stretching fancy ingredients with frugal ones is my favorite way to cook, but if you do have access to a lot of fresh porcini (or don’t care for liver), here’s a nice recipe for a meatless porcini pâté. Makes about 2 cups of pâté and a cup and a half of cherry confiture.

Notes: A mix of sour and sweet cherries is ideal for this confiture, if you can find them. If only sweet ones are available, add an extra pinch or two of malic acid to add tartness. Confiture is basically the same as varenye — fruit is left mostly whole, suspended in a thick, jammy syrup. It’s a wonderful way to preserve small fruits.

If you can’t score a handful of fresh porcini off one of your forager pals, you can sub powdered dried ones — you’ll need about ¼ ounce for this recipe.

If you prefer a milder liver flavor, give them a rinse and then soak them in a bowl of milk for an hour or so before cooking.

If you don’t keep powdered gelatin on hand for making the tiny amount of port jelly needed to coat a ramekin of pâté, you can pour melted butter on top instead, or skip it altogether.

Ingredients

Cherry confiture

2 pounds cherries, stems and pits removed (about 6 cups)

2 ½ cups sugar

A couple drops almond extract

¼ teaspoon malic acid powder or 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Chicken liver pâté

2 tablespoons duck fat, chicken schmaltz, or butter

1 large shallot, minced

2 small or 1 medium-sized fresh porcini, chopped

Salt and white pepper

1 pound chicken livers

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup cognac or brandy

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Port jelly

3 tablespoons cherry syrup (spooned out of the confiture)

1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

½ cup ruby port (or other dessert wine)

Sliced baguette or crackers for serving

Instructions

1. Make the cherry confiture: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the cherries, sugar, almond extract, and malic acid until the cherries have softened but still hold their shape, about 20-30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to scoop the fruit out of the syrup into a bowl or jar, then continue simmering the syrup until it’s reduced by about half — it should be thick but still spoonable — about 15-20 minutes. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the syrup (for making the jelly), then pour the rest over the cherries.
2. Make the pâté: Melt the duck fat in a large skillet over medium heat, then saute the shallots and porcini (if using fresh ones) with a few pinches of salt and pepper until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the livers, then rinse and pat them dry (or just drain and pat dry, if you’ve soaked them in milk).
3. Add the livers, garlic, and thyme to the pan, and give it another pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the livers are beginning to brown on the edges but are still tender and pink in the middle, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Carefully add the cognac, which will dramatically burst into orange flames (it’ll pipe down after a couple of seconds), then turn off the heat. Stir to dissolve all the delicious fond (the brown bits stuck to the pan), then transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor.
5. Add the cold butter pieces, the sherry vinegar, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture is smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula, then taste and add another pinch of salt and pepper as needed. Scrape the pâté into ramekins or other earthenware serving dishes, tapping the pots gently to help the pâté settle. Chill until firm, about an hour or two.
6. Make the jelly: Stir the cherry syrup with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, then sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Set it aside to soften for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the port to a simmer, then stir it into the bloomed gelatin until it’s completely dissolved. Let the jelly cool to room temperature, then carefully pour it over the pâté (if you pour it across the back of a spoon, it’ll help ensure an even layer).
7. Chill until the jelly is set, another hour or two. Serve with the cherry confiture and sliced baguette or crackers.

Don’t forget to subscribe!

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/12/superabundant-recipe-cherries-porcini-french-pate/