I’ve not always been much of a bread eater. My family mainly grew up on cereal for breakfast and rice (now there’s a stereotype!) for the evening meal. It wasn’t until I started dating my current partner that I developed a fondness for bread outside of your thin white slices used in standard sandwiches. Pâté naturally became a brilliant way of consuming proper bread as it is an excellent vessel for it. Here, I will share with you some pate from Castle MacLellan.*
Castle MacLellan Pâté range
Castle MacLellan is a Scottish brand who have been making pâtés for over 30 years. In the 80s, they worked with local partners in Scotland to bring fresh ingredients to their range. There are five different types to choose from
All these pâtés contain gluten and dairy.
Chicken and Liver Pâté with Scottish Heather Honey
Castle MacLellan Chicken Liver Pâté with Scottish Heather Honey
Chicken liver pâté is probably one of the more popular flavours you can get across any brand, and it’s a nice one to start off with if you have never tried pâté before. The taste is fairly inoffensive. Don’t let the fact that’s it’s liver put you off! This pâté does contain pork fat, so bear this in mind when serving to guests who don’t eat pork.
Castle MacLellan Rannoch Smoked Duck Pâté with Bramley Apple Jelly
Castle MacLellan Rannoch Smoked Duck Pâté with Bramley Apple Jelly
This pâté was a favourite with my friends. The duck is rich in taste with a lovely sweetness coming through from the Bramley apple jelly. If you like bold flavours, give this a go. Note that this pâté also contains pork fat.
Smoked Salmon Pâté with Lemon Juice and Horseradish
Castle MacLellan Smoked Salmon Pâté with Lemon Juice and Horseradish
The smoked salmon pâté was the second favourite. The salmon comes across well, although we all struggled to taste the horseradish. A good one for pescatarians and fish lovers alike.
Luxury Orkney Crab Terrine with Lemon Juice and Mustard
Castle MacLellan Luxury Orkney Crab Terrine with Lemon Juice and Mustard
The crab was the least liked in my group, but not because it was disgusting, rather it was perhaps underwhelming. The flavour of crab was weak and so was the mustard. It does have a refreshing taste though and pescatarians can eat this.
Oven Roasted Mushroom Pâté with Garlic and Thyme
Castle MacLellan Oven Roasted Mushroom Pâté with Garlic and Thyme
I personally really love this pâté but some people may find the flavour overwhelming as the cream can feel heavy on the palate. The mushrooms are chopped finely which makes it easier to spread but maybe not quite as enjoyable as a chunkier mushroom pâté as you can’t taste the mushroom as much. This one is vegetarian, but not vegan as it contains dairy.
A Guide to Pâté
Castle MacLellan spread
So how does one serve pâté? Quite simply, you just need some crusty bread or crackers! Make sure you serve the pâté is served at room temperature.
You can liven this up by adding other components to eat with the pâté, such as other charcuterie meats like salami, some cheese, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. All of these are salty, so to balance this you would need something sweet; I suggest pickled beetroot, sliced grapes, plum tomatoes and chutneys. I also recommend something fresh, such as salad leaves, slices of radish and celery sticks; the latter goes particularly well with the salmon pâté and crab terrine. I have just dipped celery sticks into these to eat if I didn’t feel like having much bread.
Pate on bread with grapes
Information
You can purchase Castle MacLellan pâtés from various supermarkets, and they retail for £1.47 – £1.75.
Website: http://castlemaclellan.co.uk/
What are your initial thoughts on pâté? Have you tried pâté before?
Leave your comments below!
*Castle MacLellan have sent me the pâté for review. This did not affect my opinion of these.
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