Adapted from Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis (Artisan 2010)
Terrine of Pork and Chicken Liver is my favorite pâté. Call it pâté, call it terrine, or call it meatloaf with a fancy name, the recipe makes terrific food. Slather artisan-style bread with Dijon mustard, add a slice of pâté, and top the whole thing with plenty of Turmeric Pickled Onions.
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1/2 pound chicken livers
- 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp. salt, divided
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 Tbsp. Calvados or Cognac
- 1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh sage
- Pickled Onions (see recipe)
- Cornichons
- Dijon Mustard
Cut cold pork shoulder, including fat, into 1-inch chunks. Put 12-15 chunks in food processor and pulse to chop meat into approximately 1/8″ dice. Don’t worry if some of the meat is larger or smaller than 1/8″ dice. (You can also ask the butcher to chop pork using the meat grinder’s largest holes.) Put chopped meat in bowl.
Wash chicken livers and remove any veins or fat. Puree chicken livers in food processor and add to bowl with meat.
Using spice grinder or mortar and pestle, turn peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and coriander seeds into powder. Add ground spices, cayenne, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt to bowl with meat.
Puree garlic cloves with 1/2 tsp. salt in mortar and pestle or using flat of knife on cutting board. Add pureed garlic, wine, Calvados, thyme, and sage to bowl with meat. Knead all ingredients together with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Make small patty of meat mixture and fry. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Because the terrine is served cold, the patty should be highly seasoned.
Put meat mixture in narrow loaf pan or earthenware terrine. Cover tightly with foil. Put on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes or until top surface of terrine is nicely browned and temperature of terrine is 150°F. It may need some additional time in the oven. When finished, the terrine will be surrounded with tasty juice. Cool terrine completely, with all juices left in the pan. When cool, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
To plate, line platter or cutting board with parsley or watercress. Turn terrine out onto greens. Remove any fat solidified around edges of terrine. Serve with pickled onions, cornichons, and Dijon mustard.