Country Terrine

This “country” terrine is a bit more sophisticated than the usual versions because it contains
ingredients cut by hand that are then layered into the force-meat, the finely puréed meat. This
creates a checkerboard effect and a complex flavor that makes this terrine beautiful to look at and
delicious to eat. The version shown here contains lardo in the finely ground forcemeat and to line
the terrine. You can also use fatback if you can find it and get it sliced thinly enough to line the
terrine. If you use fatback instead of lardo, use more salt to compensate for the fact that fatback is
unsalted.
MAKES ONE 12-BY-4-INCH TERRINE (ABOUT 15 SLICES)
⅔ cup shelled pistachios
Scant 8 ounces lardo, sliced very thinly
5 ounces rough cubes lardo or fatback for forcemeat
5 ounces chicken livers
4 slices white bread
⅔ cup milk
2 whole eggs
2 pounds pork shoulder chops or 1½ pounds cubed pork shoulder meat
4 ounces lardo or fatback, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch thick
4 ounces prosciutto, sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch thick
1 clove garlic, minced, crushed to a paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme, chopped fine
1 teaspoon white pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Plunge the pistachios into a quart of boiling water and simmer for 1 minute. Drain in a strainer and
rinse with cold water. Rub the pistachios vigorously together in a towel to loosen the skins. Peel
them by pinching between thumb and finger.
Line the terrine with the thin slices of lardo or fatback, leaving a couple of inches of excess
hanging over the side.
Combine the cubes of lardo with the chicken livers and puree in a food processor for 1 minute
until smooth.
Cut the crusts off the bread and work the bread with the milk to paste. Combine this with the
eggs and chicken liver mixture until smooth.
Chop the pork shoulder meat in the food processor until the consistency of coarse hamburger.
Combine this mixture with the chicken liver mixture.
Slice the 4 ounces of lardo or fatback and the prosciutto into ⅛-inch- to ¼-inch-thick strips.
Stir the garlic, thyme, pepper, spices, and salt into the forecemeat mixture. Make a tiny hamburger
and cook it in the olive oil in a sauté pan. Taste it to judge the seasoning and adjust accordingly,
keeping in mind that the garnitures—the strips of prosciutto and lardo—are salty.
Spread one-fifth of the forcemeat mixture into the bottom of the lined terrine. Arrange one-fourth
of the prosciutto and lardo in strips along the length of the terrine. Spread over another one-fifth of
the forcemeat mixture and another one-fourth of the prosciutto and lardo and one-third of the nuts.
Continue layering in this way, using the nuts for three of the layers, until you’ve filled the terrine.
Finish with a layer of forcemeat.
Fold the overlapping strips of lardo over the top of the terrine and press in place.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a rectangle of parchment paper on top of the terrine.
Fold a triple layer of aluminum foil into a rectangle 1 inch longer and wider than the terrine, and
press this onto the terrine and fold it over the edges of the terrine.
Put the terrine in a roasting pan with hot tap water, and place the pan on the stove over high
heat until the water comes to a simmer. Slide the roasting pan with the terrine into the oven. Bake
for about 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into the middle measures 150°F.
Take out of the roasting pan and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then in the
refrigerator overnight. Remove the foil and parchment paper and slide a knife around the sides of
the pâté. Serve the terrine by cutting slices from out of the mold or by unmolding the whole terrine
and then slicing it.

HOW TO MAKE COUNTRY TERRINE