Chicken Breasts San Marco

A quantity of Chicken Liver Pate (see below)
6 small chicken breasts
12 asparagus tips, cooked
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz finely chopped blanched almonds
4 oz olive oil and 2 oz butter for frying

Slit the chicken breasts sideways with a sharp knife without cutting through to the other side of the breasts, thus making shallow pockets on either side. Fill each pocket with your pate' and asparagus tips. Flatten pockets and carefully dip the prepared breast in the beaten eggs, and then into the chopped almonds.

Heat the oil and the butter in a frying pan until sizzling, and then add the chicken breasts. Cook gently for about 10 minutes on each side until the breasts are cooked through and the almonds have browned.

 Chicken Liver Pate'

 1 lb 4oz chicken livers
4 slices streaky bacon
5 oz butter plus another 2 oz
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 tbls brandy
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a frying pan, add bacon and cook gently for a few minutes. Take the bacon out of the pan and set aside.

Add chicken liver to pan and fry gently until they change color and are just about cooked through. Add a little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add the parsley and the cooked bacon, which has been de-rinded and chopped. Cook together for a few more minutes then remove from heat.

Liquidize the mixture, adding the brandy.

Lightly oil a container and put pate' mix into this. Melt the extra butter in a small pan. When melted, pour over the pate' and place in the fridge until needed.  

Recipe courtesy "25 Years In A Maltese Kitchen," by Pippa Mattei, Miranda Publishers, 2003, distributed by Artisan Ideas.