Rinse the chicken livers in cold water, then place them into a medium saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and salt to the pan, then pour in enough cold water to cover the ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and discard, then use a slotted spoon to transfer all the ingredients in the pan to the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment fitted. Process on high until roughly puréed. With the motor running add the butter a quarter at a time, then add the brandy and a few grinds of black pepper and process until smooth. Taste and season with a little extra salt and pepper if necessary.

Pour the pâté into ramekins or small glass bowls, smooth the surface then press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface. This will give the pâté a nice, smooth finish. Refrigerate until set, at least an hour.

To make the jelly, soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Warm the wine and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the gelatine from the water, give it a good squeeze, then stir it into the wine until dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature - this will be faster if you pour it into a small jug.

When the jelly has cooled, take the pâté from the fridge, remove the cling film and scatter over the green peppercorns. Carefully pour over the cooled jelly, dividing it between the ramekins, then refrigerate until set.

Serve with toasted baguette, cornichons and a little fruit - grapes, physalis or sliced green apple are all good. Pate can be eaten as soon as it has set, though the flavours will develop over a day or two. I usually let mine sit overnight in the fridge.