Country Terrine - pork and pistachio

What you need

Ingredients

• 800g / 28oz pork belly mince (, ground pork belly (Note 1))
• 400g / 14oz pork mince (, ground pork, regular or lean (Note 1))
• 250g / 9oz chicken livers (, cleaned, diced 1cm/0.4" (Note 2))
• 4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup brandy (, preferably cognac (Note 3))
• 1/8 tsp curing salt ((cure #1) - I do not use it (Note 4))
• 15g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 eschalot (, finely diced (Note 5))
• 2 large eggs (, (55g/2oz each in shell) - fridge cold is fine)
• 2 egg yolks (, from large eggs (55g/2oz each in shell) - fridge cold is fine)
• 1/2 cup thickened cream ((heavy cream))
• 1/2 heaped cup unsalted pistachios (, no need to toast it (Note 6))
• Bread slices ((I like baguettes))
• Dijon mustard
• Cornichons or other pickles

In the correct order

Instructions

1. Marinate the pork, chicken livers, salt, pepper and brandy overnight. Sauté the eschalot in butter for 3 min. Add to the marinated meat with the eggs, yolks, cream and pistachios, mix. Pack into loaf pan.
2. Bake 25 min in hot water bath at 220°C / 430 °F (200°C fan) then cover with foil, reduce to 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan) and cook until the centre reaches 68°C / 155°F (about 75 min). Rest 2 hrs, fridge overnight, serve.
3. Marinate (Note 7) - Place both pork minces and chicken livers in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper and brandy. Mix well with your hands until everything is evenly coated. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 220°C / 430 °F (200°C fan-forced).
5. Sauté eschalot - Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the eschalot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened but don't let it go golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
6. Terrine mix - Place the marinated meat in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cooked eschalot, eggs, egg yolks, cream and pistachios. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 30 seconds then on medium speed for another 30 seconds until well combined. It should be mostly smooth (not pureed) with a slightly coarse texture that gives the terrine its rustic look and a better bite. (Note 8 for no stand mixer)
7. Fill the terrine - Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan (21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 x 2.75") by taking a handful of the mixture and slamming it firmly into the pan. Repeat this 4 - 5 times, pressing the mixture down between each addition. This removes air pockets and packs the meat tightly, which gives a smooth terrine that slices cleanly without brown spots from air pockets. Give the terrine a few firm taps on the bench, this will help mixture to settle and become more compact before baking.
8. Bake in a bain-marie (water bath) - Place the loaf pan in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water around it until it reaches halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cover the terrine loosely with foil, still in the water bath. Lower oven to 170°C / 340 °F (150°C fan), and bake until the internal temperature reaches 68°C / 155°F, around 75 minutes. (Note 9)
9. Rest (Note 9) - Remove from the oven. The top looks quite pale but don't worry, the colour will darken as it cools. Leave the terrine on the counter for 2 hours. As the terrine rests, the juices and rendered fat released during cooking slowly soak back into the meat, making it wonderfully tender and soft. The internal temperature will rise to about 75°C / 167°F after 15 minutes, then slowly drop to room temperature.
10. Refrigerate overnight - Cling wrap the terrine and refrigerate overnight. As it chills, it will allow the flavours to meld and develop. Don't skip this, it's well worth the wait!
11. Un-mould - The next day, un-mould. Run a blow torch briefly over the outside of the loaf pan to warm it slightly, then invert onto a board or platter. Alternatively, dip the pan in hot water, or warm it briefly over a low flame on the stove.
12. Slice and serve at room temperature. I cut mine 1cm / 0.4" thick but it's really up to you. The beautiful blush pink colour fades after slicing - that's perfectly normal as the meat oxidises when exposed to the air.
13. Serving - Serve the terrine with slices of crusty baguette, pickles and mustard. Spread bread with a little mustard, top with a piece of the terrine and a pickle. Then enjoy. You've earned it!