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French Style Coarse Pork Pâté

Homemade Pâté is so much nicer than shop bought varieties, and is a lot easier to make than you might think. This recipe can be made in advance and served as a fabulous centre piece which is ideal for boxing day.

Make the Pâté in advance. The flavours will develop and mature for a couple days after cooking. Will keep in the fridge for 7 days or you can freeze for up to 3 months.

Ingredients: Yields around 1.2 kg/8-10 portions 

  • 2 heaped teaspoon chopped lemon thyme leaves

  • 4-6 sage leaves, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

  • 10 juniper berries, crushed

  • 50g unsalted butter

  • 2 medium echalion shallots, finely chopped

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 2 tablespoon double cream

  • 2 tablespoon breadcrumbs

  • 500g free range pork shoulder, coarsely minced or chopped in a food processor or buy quality coarse pork mince from a trusted quality butcher

  • 250g dry cured unsmoked (fatty) streaky bacon, chopped first then blitzed to a paste in a food processor

  • Around 14-16 rashers dry cured smoked streaky bacon

  • 250g pig’s liver either minced or cut into small pieces and blitzed in a food processor

  • 5 tablespoons brandy

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

Method: 

  1. Put the mince, liver and bacon into a large bowl. Add the brandy, spices, pepper, thyme, sage, juniper and garlic. Mix well, cover and marinade in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight if possible, removing from the fridge an hour before going on to the step 3.

  2. Using the smoked streaky bacon rashers, stretch with the back of a knife to double in length. Line, including the ends a 20x10x6cm terrine dish or 2 pound loaf tin with the bacon reserving a 3 rashers for the top. Cover a pop into the fridge whilst the meat mixture marinades

  3. Mix the egg, cream and breadcrumbs together and allow to stand for 15 minutes. (When you add this it will help to tenderise the meat)

  4. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and cook the shallots over a gentle heat until soft. Allow to cool.

  5. Add the egg mixture and shallot to the meat mixture and mix in thoroughly without over mixing (this could make the meat tough)..

  6. Heat the oven (Fan) 140C/gas 2 and boil the kettle. Fry a small spoon full of the mixture in a frying pan to check the seasoning. Adjust if necessary.

  7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared terrine/loaf tin and smooth the top. bring any over hanging bacon to the centre then lay on the remaining rashers of bacon length wise along the dish. Place a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper onto the mixture. Cover tightly with a piece of foil. Put into a roasting tin on the middle shelf of the oven. Pour in boiling water to two thirds of the way up the terrine.

  8. Bake for around 1.5-2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 72C or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out hot all the way through. Put a piece of cardboard on top of the terrine, weigh down with a couple of tins of beans or something equally heavy and allow to cool. Refrigerate, still with the tins on top, at least overnight before serving.

  9. When you are ready to serve, remove from the fridge 30 minutes beforehand. To help make it easier to remove from the pate dish, place the dish into hot water for 30 seconds then turn upside down onto board or serving dish.

To Serve:

Serve with Cornichons, Dijon mustard and sourdough toast or crusty bread.