Bacon + Garlic Liver Pate
Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in pregnancy. Liver provides nutrients that are protective for foetal development:
Choline – neural tube and brain development
Iron (heme) – highly bioavailable, supports placental oxygen delivery
B12 & folate – DNA synthesis and methylation
Copper & zinc – immune and connective tissue development
Retinol (vitamin A) – essential for organ formation, vision, immune development
Liver is often discouraged in pregnancy due to concerns about vitamin A toxicity and potential teratogenic effects (risk of birth defects). This fear largely comes from:
High vitamin A content in liver (as preformed retinol)
Public health guidelines designed to prevent excess intake
Research linking very high vitamin A intake to fetal abnormalities
As a result, liver has been broadly labelled as “unsafe,” without sufficient distinction between dose, form, and context. The research that raised concern is almost entirely based on synthetic vitamin A, not whole foods like liver. I adore liver as a nutrient dense food not just to prepare for conception but for pregnancy and beyond too! See below one of my favourite recipes, I’ve been making it for YEARS and the best bit, my kids also love it!
INGREDIENTS
2 large brown onions, diced
500g organic chicken livers (drain away the excess liquid)
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 rashers of chemical free bacon, diced (remove the rind)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
100g grass-fed butter or ghee + 1-2 tbsp. for frying
METHOD
Add 1-2 tbsp. of butter or ghee to a large saucepan. Add the onions and fry until golden brown.
Now add the bacon and garlic to the onions and fry until golden brown.
When the onions, bacon and garlic are done, add the pepper, paprika and cumin. Fry this for another minute or until the spices are fragrant.
Remove the onions, bacon and garlic from the frying pan (but leave the fat in the pan) and scoop it onto a plate while you cook the livers.
Add the livers to the frying pan; make sure the pan is large enough so the livers aren't over crowded. You need them to fry not to boil in the fat. Once the livers have browned on the bottom, flip them over. Sprinkle the livers with the salt, onion and garlic powder and continue frying until cooked through.
Now add the onion, garlic and bacon mix back into the pan and fry with the 100g of butter or ghee until all of the ingredients are caramelised and incredibly fragrant. The mixture should be a very dark golden colour; this develops the flavours and caramelises the ingredients perfectly.
When it's ready, scoop all of the ingredients into a food processor or thermomix and blend into a paste.
Add as much or as little chicken broth to the pate as needed to reach your desired consistency. If you like it super silky and smooth you may need to use roughly 1/4 - 1/2 cup. We like ours with texture and more on the chunky side so omitted the broth this time.
Scoop the mixture into a container and store in the fridge.
COOKS NOTES
Serve warm or cold with some flaxseed crackers (try Raw Living Flaxseed Crackers), veggie sticks, on top of cucumber rounds or eat it simply off the spoon.
You can freeze this into batches and take out of the freezer as and when you need it. Lasts 3 months. Otherwise lasts 3 days in the fridge!
