Terrine

Terrine is easy to make and lasts a while in your fridge.

You need to make it at least a day in advance, that’s a good thing as service on the day is no more stressful than making the toast!

A Terrine is flavoured with a delicate balance of herbs, usually sage, rosemary and thyme and often garlic, but you can tailor this to your taste.

You can go “High End” with the addition of Brandy or Cognac etc, even your favourite Moonshine! And the addition of pistachios just makes it so much more special!

1 kg pork neck or belly finely minced

400 grams (14oz) chicken breast or thigh diced, 2 cm

200 grams (7oz) chunk of Smokey bacon or Spec, cut into small 1 cm dice

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

100 grams (3-4oz) Pistachio nuts

1 teaspoon thyme fresh, chopped

1 teaspoon sage, chopped

¼ teaspoon allspice ground

2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoon sweet sherry or mirrin

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

20 rashers bacon or prosciutto (to line the mould)

Half a cup of parsley, chopped

Get the best ingredients you can, the serve size is not huge so it is not an expensive dish per serve, don’t scrimp on the fat either, it needs enough fat to become luscious and to bind it together and provide that lovely mouth feel.

You’ll serve it with some Pickles, Cornichons and Chutney, so that will cut the fat in the mouth.

Dice the chicken and mince the pork to a rough consistency then cube up the bacon.

Combine the pork mince, chicken and cubed bacon in a large mixing bowl.

Add salt and pepper, all spice, Dijon mustard, parsley, sage, egg, sherry, garlic and the onion.

Mix well by hand to combine uniformly.

Line a terrine with cling film, making sure it overhangs the sides of the mould. I just use a loaf pan, I don’t see the need for a proper Terrine unless you are going to do this all the time.

A Loaf pan is fine to use as a mould, so long as it is watertight.

Place the Bay leaves in the bottom of the mould, on top of the cling film

I also cut a piece of wood just slightly smaller than the top of the mould to use as a “press”, wrap the press in foil.

Fill the mould with the meat mixture to within 2cm (1/2 inch) of the top, pushing it down carefully as you go to remove any air bubbles.

Fold the ends of the bacon over the filling. Fold the Clingwrap over that , place your wooden “press” covered with foil in the top of the mould.

Apply some weight and refrigerate overnight

Preheat the BBQ to 150 degrees C, Remove the “press”, then place the terrine in a makeshift bain marie, fill with warm to hot water to halfway up the sides of the mould.

Cook on a medium heat for 1 to 1 and a half hours or until the internal temperature reaches 72 degrees C (162 degrees F).

When cooked remove the mould from the Bain Marie and allow to cool for a half an hour. Reinstall the wooden “press” and tomato cans and let the terrine set in the fridge overnight, I’ve placed it on a small piece of timber as it was still quite warm and it would damage the fridge.

To serve the terrine, unfold the plastic wrap, invert the mould and the terrine should just plop out, if it doesn’t, sit it in some hot water for 30 seconds or so to loosen it from the mould. I’m just hitting it gently with a gastorch.

Carefully unwrap the cling film and your terrine should be good to serve.

If it looks a bit “fatty” a wipe with paper towel will smarten it up, or just kiss it with the flame from a torch to make the outside glisten.

I always serve terrine pre-sliced with toast triangles and a variety of pickles, dill cucumbers, pickled onions etc.