Chicken Liver Pâté en Aspic

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine in a skillet

Fry the chicken livers and mushrooms, seasoned with scallions, salt, and black pepper, until golden brown (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently

Add hot sauce and 4 tablespoons of Porto wine

Simmer for 5 minutes

In a blender or food processor, combine the cooked chicken liver mixture with 4 tablespoons of butter or margarine

Blend until smooth

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any excess fat

Pour the mixture into a small bowl and reserve

Prepare the aspic: In a saucepan, combine water, tablets of chicken broth, hot sauce, and 1/3 cup of Porto wine

Stir until the gelatin has dissolved completely

Add a thin layer of gelatin on top

Arrange individual molds (about 3/4 cup each) in a baking dish

Pour 1 tablespoon of gelatin mixture into each mold

Chill for about 10 minutes, or until set

Garnish with slices of cucumber and cooked carrot sticks, if desired

Cover with a thin layer of gelatin

Chill for an additional 10 minutes

Place 1 tablespoon of chicken liver pâté in the center of each mold

Top with the remaining gelatin mixture to cover the pâté completely

Chill until the gelatin is set, about 2 hours

To serve, unmold onto a serving plate or individual plates

For decoration, use half-moon pastry stars.