COARSE PORK AND HERB TERRINE

For the Food Club my husband made some beautiful terrines, and we both wondered why we don't make them more often.  I find them perfect for grazing on any time of the day or night.  Team it up with a good slab of cheese, tasty pickles, relish and bread and you have created a wonderful ploughman's for lunch.  There are many recipes for terrines and pates they can be smooth or coarse, made with chicken, pork, seafood, game and vegetables and they partner perfectly with some good quality home made chutneys and relishes. 
If you haven't yet crossed the line and ventured to the making of terrines or think you can't possibly make one without a terrine mould then think again.  They work equally as good in plain old loaf tins, you can even make them in ramekins which is a lovely gift or great for a dinner party.

This is a great recipe to get comfortable with making of a terrine.  This recipe is adapted from Rick Stein and i do love the flavour, texture and simplicity of it. 

COARSE PORK AND HERB TERRINE
Serves 10


2 Tbsp olive oil
175g onions, finely chopped
100g rindless back bacon, cut into small pieces
1kg belly bacon, cut into small pieces
175g lambs liver
2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
Large handful parsley, finely chopped
1 ½ Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 ½ Tbsp chopped thyme
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

Cornichons
Chutney
Crusty bread

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry gently until soft but not browned. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.

Put the pork belly into a food processor and chop, using the pulse button, into a coarse but not too coarse mixture. Add to the onions in the bowl. Put the bacon and liver in the food processor and again, coarsely chop, then transfer to the bowl.

Add the garlic, chopped herbs, salt and pepper and mix everything together really well - the best way of distributing the ingredients evenly is with your hands.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Put the mixture into a lightly oiled 1.5 litre terrine dish or loaf tin and slightly round off the top. Cover with a lid or some foil, put into a small roasting tin and pour enough hot water into the tin to come half way up the sides of the dish. Bake for 1.5 hours.

Uncover the terrine and cook for a further 15 minutes, until it is lightly coloured on top. Remove the dish from the roasting tin and leave to cool, then weight down the terrine overnight in the fridge. The easiest way to do this is to cut out a piece of cardboard that will fit inside the rim of the dish, cover it with foil, then place it on top of the terrine and place a few weights or unopened cans on top.

To serve, remove the terrine from the dish in slices. Accompany with lots of crusty bread, chutney and some cornichons.