Chicken And Apricot Terrine Food

CHICKEN TERRINE WITH LEEKS & APRICOTS

Steps:

• Put the chicken thighs into a pan with the stock and a string-tied bundle of 2 bay leaves, a few of the thyme sprigs and a little of the parsley. Add a few leek trimmings, the peppercorns and ½ tsp salt. Add water to just cover the meat, if needed. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, lightly butter a 900g loaf tin (ours was 12cm x 22cm x 7cm) and line with cling film, leaving plenty of overhang. Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the leeks, shallots and some seasoning. Cook for 10 mins over a medium heat until starting to colour. Add the bacon and garlic and cook for 2 mins more until the bacon is cooked through. Leave to cool.
• Add the chicken breast to the stock mixture and top up with hot water to cover. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for another 20 mins. When ready, the chicken breast will be cooked through and the thigh meat will pull away easily from the bones. Lift the meat from the pan, drain the stock and leave to cool until it is just warm.
• Discard the bones and any knobbly bits, then roughly chop the chicken. Stir into the leek mixture, along with 2 tsp more thyme leaves, the apricots and the brandy.
• Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 mins until floppy. Squeeze out the excess water, stir into 300ml of the warm stock, then mix with the chicken. Put a few bay leaves in the base of the tin, then spoon the chicken mixture on top and press down well. Cover with the cling film. Leave to cool, then chill thoroughly - overnight is best. Can be made up to three days ahead.
• To serve, slice the terrine while it's still wrapped in cling film, then carefully peel the cling film off each slice. Drizzle the toast slices with olive oil and grill until golden brown and crisp, then sprinkle with a little salt. Serve the terrine with the toast and our yogurt piccalilli & crisp kale salad.

CHICKEN AND APRICOT TERRINE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to moderate 180°C. You will need 2 loaf tins measuring 21 × 14 × 7 cm. Place apricots in medium bowl, pour over boiling water, stand for 10 minutes, drain, then chop apricots roughly. 2. Place pinenuts in small dry pan, stir over medium heat until lightly golden, cool. 3. Heat oil in medium pan, add onion, stir-fry until soft, remove from heat, stir in apricots, pinenuts, breadcrumbs, parsley and egg. 4. Heat extra oil and butter in a large pan, add 4 chicken fillets. Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side or until almost cooked through. Remove from pan, drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with remaining chicken. 5. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each fillet horizontally into 3 slices. 6. Divide apricot mixture and chicken into two equal portions. Arrange ¼ chicken slices from one portion, browned side down, over base of one loaf pan. Spread with ⅓ of apricot mixture from one portion. Repeat layering using chicken slices and apricot mixture from one portion, ending with chicken, browned side up. Repeat with remaining portion of chicken and apricot mixture to give two terrines. 7. Cover terrines with aluminium foil, place into a shallow baking dish. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of terrines. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until firm, cool. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate until cold. 8. Turn terrines out, wash loaf tins, return terrines to tins. Combine gelatine with stock in a small bowl. Stand bowl in hot water, stir until gelatine dissolves. Spoon evenly over terrines, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate until set. Turn terrines out of loaf tins, slice and serve.