Chicken Liver Pate with Grilled Bread and Pickled Onions

1 pound chicken livers, soaked overnight in ice water

Butter, for sauteing

1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stem

2 cloves garlic

½

cup tomato puree

½

red wine

Salt to taste

½

pound butter, cut into small chunks

Pickled onions

1 red onion, halved and cut into 1/2 inch semicircles

1 cup red wine vinegar

½

sugar

Pinch salt

Drain the chicken livers, pat dry and set aside.

In a nonreactive skillet, heat just enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the livers and cook briefly on both sides. The livers should be cooked no more than 'medium-rare' and if parts still seem a bit raw, that is OK, the residual heat from resting and pureeing with finish cooking them. Remove the livers from the pan and set aside somewhere warm.

To the skillet add the garlic and rosemary leaves and cook until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the tomato puree and cook until it is dry and pasty, and the edges have begun to caramelize. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half.

Place the cooked livers and the red wine mixture in the bowl of a food processor; add a good pinch of salt and puree.

While the machine is running, add the butter piece by piece. Continue to puree until smooth. Place the liver into a sieve over a bowl and press through with a rubber spatula; this guarantees a nice, smooth pate. Taste, and add salt as needed.

Put the pate into a decorative serving container and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent oxidation. Refrigerate several hours to set.

For the onions: Place the onions in a nonreactive, scalable container just large enough to hold them. Mix together the vinegar, salt and sugar and pour over the onions. Seal the container and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. These can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

To serve: Bring pate to room temperature; serve with grilled country bread and pickled onions.

Serves six to eight.

Chef Rob Levitt, Mado, Chicago