Terrine de Campagne
This luscious terrine is easy to make and keeps well. Best served with slices of crusty baguette or toast and cornichons. I’m prompted to post it this week while in France and after a recent visit to La Colombe d’Or at St Paul de Vence where it’s served alongside a stunning basket of hors d’oeuvres.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
For a richer terrine, overlap strips of thinly sliced prosciutto along the bottom and sides of the mould before layering with the vines leaves.
The recipe is from my Seasonal Entertaining book (Harper Collins).
Ingredients
- fresh vine leaves approx 10-15
- bay leaves 3 – 4
- unsalted butter 125g
- onions 2, finely chopped
- garlic 2 cloves, crushed
- finely ground (minced) veal and pork 1kg, trimmed and cut in 5cm pieces
- finely minced pork fat 500g
- chicken or duck livers 500g, sinews removed and chopped
- ham 250g, cut into small dice
- Cognac 1/2 cup (125ml)
- thickened cream (i.e. with gelatine) 1/2 cup (125ml)
- free range or organic eggs 3, lightly beaten
- salt 3 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground
- allspice, mace, dried rosemary and dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon each
- ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon
Preheat oven to 180C.
Wash the vine leaves and blanch them quickly in hot water. Refresh under cold water.
Lighlty oil one large terrine or 2 smaller ones and lay the vine leaves along the bottom and sides – you’ll need about 12 for the large terrine, more if using the small ones. Place 1 – 2 bay leaves on the the bottom of each terrine.
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add the onion mixture, stirring to combine well. Spoon into prepared terrine/s, smoothing the mixture so that it is flat on top.
Place in a bain-marie (or in a roasting dish half-filled with hot water) and cover tightly with aluminium foil. Place in the oven.
If cooking one large terrine, allow 2 1/2 hours covered and another 1/2 hour uncovered. For the smaller terrines, allow 1 3/4 hours and another 1/2 hours uncovered. Remove from oven when cooked, let cool and re-cover with aluminium foil. Place a heavy weight on top and place in refrigerator overnight to set.
Next day, remove the weights and foil. Ease the terrine/s away from sides of the dish with a knife or dip the whole terrine quickly in warm water and turn out. Cut into thick slices and serve with crusty bread and pickles, or with a mixed salad for lunch or supper – or take in its terrine dish on a picnic.