just typing that makes me want to put on a Little Feat album.
a person in our house needs more iron in their diet, and I saw chicken livers on sale (as you do...) so a couple of days ago I made my first terrine (two actually.... I bought too much...)
my plan was to make pate, but I couldn't find a recipe, and ended up in the "terrines, pates and galatines" volume of the time-life cookbook series that my mother gave us many years ago. apparently for the brits (well, the french i suppose) back then, a pate was fancy meat covered in pastry. i have to warn you by saying that I thought that the offal book was the worst in this series, and I've revised my opinion. SO STOP READING NOW IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH!
the most remarkable pate recipe had tongue (cow I think - never cooked it, never eaten it, can't look at it) minced with stuff and put inside a deboned chicken (I've done the procedure once with a duck and will have to post about that) and then put inside a deboned goose and covered in pastry!! I kid you not.
the worst pics involved a pigs head and a whole baby pig.... I'll give details only if you beg me.
BUT my terrine involved sauted leeks, adding chicken livers and brandy (and flaming the brandy - first time ever - didnt get a photo!), mincing and mixing with pork mince, egg, cream. I bought a terrine dish (as you do) and lined it with bacon rashers (yes, it's starting to sound very healthy....) and topped with bay leaves, cloves and fresh thyme. it actually looked terrific.
and a little oven rack to make a bain marie in the oven. ie. large dish with water with smaller dish on rack in it. i had no idea that this is so that the small dish cooks evenly....
I made a second one, this time adding mushrooms and some random spices.
they taste great! now if I can just find myself a piglet.....
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