Instructions: Spray 3-cup souffle dish or terrine with vegetable oil spray. Line dish with plastic wrap; spray plastic.

Combine chicken livers, broth and onion in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until livers are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain cooking liquid; transfer chicken livers and onion to processor. Add butter, Cognac and salt to processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add figs. Let stand until figs soften, about 15 minutes. Drain wine. Quarter figs. (Pate and figs can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep pate refrigerated. Transfer figs to small bowl; cover and refrigerate.)

Unmold pate onto platter. Press walnuts onto sides of pate. Garnish top with chives and some figs. Arrange lettuce on platter with pate. Place remaining figs atop lettuce. Serve with toasts.

This recipe yields 10 to 12 servings.

Comments: By the seventies, Julia Child, through her books and television shows, had made French food accessible, and the Cuisinart, introduced in 1973, made many of the cuisine"s more complicated techniques quick and simple. As a result, pate became increasingly popular, and remains so today.

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