Soak the livers: De-vein the chicken livers and place in a bowl. Pour on enough milk to cover and leave to soak in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature 20 minutes before cooking.

Cook the shallots: Drain and rinse the livers, pat dry with kitchen paper and season well. Heat a few knobs of the butter in a pan and sauté the shallots over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft but not coloured.

Fry the livers: Increase the heat slightly. Add the livers and fry for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned but still pink inside. They should be firm on the outside but soft in the centre.

Flambé: Add the brandy and carefully flambé by tilting the pan towards the flame. When the flame dies down, add the rest of the butter to melt. Remove from the heat and add the thyme leaves.

Blend: Immediately tip everything into a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. For a very smooth texture, pass through a fine sieve. Divide between four small ramekins and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Seal with clarified butter: Gently melt the 175g butter in a small pan over a very low heat. Carefully pour the golden oily layer from the surface into a jug, discarding the milky whey below. Spoon the clarified butter over each pâté to cover with a thin layer. Sprinkle with a few thyme leaves.

Chill and serve: Cover with cling film and chill for at least 1 hour until set. Take out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving with warm toast and red onion marmalade.