James Martins Venison Terrine Food

JAMES MARTIN'S VENISON TERRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• Season the venison and chicken livers with salt and pepper, then heat a large frying pan and add the rapeseed oil. When the oil is hot, add the venison a few pieces at a time and seal on each side, then set aside. Repeat with the chicken livers, then - standing well back and protecting your forearms - pour in the armagnac and set it on fire with a match. When the flames die down, set aside.
• While these cool, use the bacon to line a 1kg loaf tin, overlapping the rashers in the base a little and leaving about 5cm of their lengths falling over the edge of the tin on each side. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
• Place the chicken breast into a food processor and blitz to a fine purée, then add the double cream and blitz to combine. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then tip into a bowl and fold in the hazelnuts and cranberries.
• Scoop one-third of the chicken mixture into the prepared tin, then top with the venison. Layer on another one-third of the chicken mixture, then the tarragon, chicken livers and their juices. Finish with the remaining chicken mixture, then fold the bacon over the top to cover all the filling.
• Oil a piece of foil and place over the top of the tin, then seal tightly around the edges and place into a deep tray. Half fill the tray with hot water then place into the oven for 1.-1½ hours.
• To check that the terrine is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre, then run it against the inside of your wrist: if it's piping hot, it's cooked through. If not, return it to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, then check again. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge to chill.
• To serve, turn out of the mould and cut into slices. Serve with gherkins and some charred bread.

COUNTRY TERRINE

Steps:

• Assemble and marinate terrine:
• Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice.
• While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well.
• Pulse chicken livers in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to onion mixture along with ground pork and veal and mix together well with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stir in ham cubes.
• Line bottom and long sides of terrine mold crosswise with about 6 to 9 strips of bacon, arranging them close together (but not overlapping) and leaving a 1/2- to 2-inch overhang. Fill terrine evenly with ground-meat mixture, rapping terrine on counter to compact it (it will mound slightly above edge). Cover top of terrine lengthwise with 2 or 3 more bacon slices if necessary to cover completely, and fold overhanging ends of bacon back over these. Cover terrine with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours to marinate meats.
• Bake terrine:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine tightly with a double layer of foil.
• Bake terrine in a water bath until thermometer inserted diagonally through foil at least 2 inches into center of terrine registers 155 to 160°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Remove foil and let terrine stand in mold on a rack, 30 minutes.
• Weight terrine:
• Put terrine in mold in a cleaned baking pan. Put a piece of parchment or wax paper over top of terrine, then place on top of parchment another same-size terrine mold or a piece of wood or heavy cardboard cut to fit inside mold and wrapped in foil. Put 2 to 3 (1-pound) cans on terrine or on wood or cardboard to weight cooked terrine. Chill terrine in pan with weights until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Continue to chill terrine, with or without weights, at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop.
• To serve:
• Run a knife around inside edge of terrine and let stand in mold in a pan with 1 inch of hot water (to loosen bottom) 2 minutes. Tip terrine mold (holding terrine) to drain excess liquid, then invert a cutting board over terrine, reinvert terrine onto cutting board, and gently wipe outside of terrine (bacon strips) with a paper towel. Let terrine stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then transfer to a platter if desired and cut, as needed, into 1/2-inch-thick slices.