Rabbit Terrine With Cumberland Sauce Food

RABBIT TERRINE WITH CUMBERLAND SAUCE

Steps:

• Two days before service, debone rabbit legs, shoulders, and loin. Reserve carcass and meat on ribs and neck for stock. Remove any silverskin from the loin. Dice the rabbit and pork meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Place cubed meat in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/4 cup Madeira and the Armagnac over the meat. Toss, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. The same day as the marinade process is started, make a stock from the reserved bones and trimmings of the rabbit. Chop the bones into pieces and saute in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large stock pot. When the bones are lightly browned, add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until lightly browned. Deglaze with 1/4 cup Madeira. When the bottom of the pan starts browning, deglaze again with 1/4 cup Madeira. Add bay leaves, coriander, thyme, peppercorns, apple, and garlic. Deglaze again if ingredients stick to the bottom. Fill the pot with 1 gallon water and bring to a boil. Lower the haet and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 quart. Strain through a sieve into a smaller pot and reduce further until 3/4 cup of stock remains. Cool to room temperature; refrigerated in a sealed container. The day before service, take the meat out of the marinade, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Grind the meat twice with a fine blade and place in a stainless steel bowl set over a larger bowl filled with ice. If a grinder is not available, puree in a processor with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinade, leaving a little texture. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the cold reduced stock (if the stock is too cold and has jellied, warm in a water bath but do not heat). Add the reserved marinating liquid, then begin to incorporate the cream a little at a time. After all the cream has been added, stir in the eggs. When thoroughly blended, fold in the diced ham, fatback, truffles, and peppercorns. Line the bottom and sides of one 1-1/2-quart terrine with thin slices of pork fatback. Leave a couple of inches of excess fatback overlapping the top edge; it will be folded over the top later. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Fill the terrine with the meat mixture to about 1/2 inch from the top. Smooth the surface, then fold the excess fatback over the top. Place additional slices of fatback over gaps. Cover the terrine and set in a shallow pan partially filled with hot water. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 140 to145 F. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. To serve: Run a knife along the sides to loosen the terrine and invert onto a platter to unmold. Slice 1/2-inch thick and place a slice on each serving plate. Spoon Cumberland Sauce around the terrine slice. Cumberland Sauce Bring the wines to a boil in a saucepan. Add the ginger, mustard, and cayenne. Add the blanched zests and simmer 10 to 15 minutes over low heat. In a small bowl, blend the orange juice and cornstarch, then pour into the wine mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add the red currant jelly and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and strain. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold.

RABBIT TERRINE WITH GREEN OLIVES AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Cook rabbit in broth:
• Remove fat, kidneys, and liver from rabbit if necessary. Put rabbit, shallots, carrots, parsley, thyme, leek, garlic, peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 6 cups water in a 4-quart heavy pot and bring to a boil, skimming froth. Reduce heat and gently simmer rabbit, partially covered, until tender, 1 hour.
• Clarify broth:
• Cool rabbit in broth, uncovered, 30 minutes, then remove, reserving rabbit pieces and broth separately. Pour broth through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Whisk egg whites in another bowl until foamy and add egg shells. Whisk in warm broth in a stream and return mixture to cleaned pot.
• Heat over moderate heat, stirring and scraping bottom constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent egg white from sticking, until stock comes to a simmer (this will take about 10 minutes). Reduce heat and gently simmer broth, without stirring, until all impurities rise to surface and form a crust, and broth underneath is clear, about 10 minutes.
• While broth is simmering, coarsely shred rabbit meat, being careful to remove all small bones.
• Pour broth through a sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened paper towels into a bowl and let all broth drain through. Discard solids. (If liquid doesn't drain completely, tap edge of sieve repeatedly with a metal spoon to help drain.) Broth should be completely clear; if not, repeat procedure with clean dampened paper towels.
• If clarified broth measures more than 2 1/2 cups, boil to reduce. If it measures less, add water. Bring broth just to a simmer. Sprinkle gelatin over remaining 1/4 cup cold water and soften 1 minute, then whisk into hot broth until dissolved. Stir in Madeira and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste.
• Assemble terrines:
• Lightly oil terrines and line with a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to drape over edges. Place terrines on a tray. Cut 4 (18-inch) pieces of kitchen string and place 2 crosswise under each terrine about 2 inches from each end (they will be used to secure rolling pins or bottles to terrines).
• Grind fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder and toss with rabbit, olives, pistachios, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Divide mixture between terrines, then stir broth well and pour slowly into terrines, filling to 1/4 inch from top. Reserve any remaining broth, covered and chilled. Place a foil-wrapped cardboard strip on top of each terrine, then rest a rolling pin or bottle on top of cardboard and tie to terrine, creating just enough pressure to press cardboard about 1/2 inch into terrine (some broth will spill over onto tray).
• Chill terrines on tray 3 hours, then remove string, weights, and cardboard. Heat any reserved jelled broth (including spillover on tray) just until it becomes liquid and add to terrines. Cover with overhanging plastic wrap and chill at least 6 hours more.
• To unmold terrines, unwrap plastic wrap and invert molds onto a long narrow platter, pulling slightly on plastic to release terrines from molds, then removing it. Gently cut terrines with a serrated knife into 1/3-inch-thick slices and serve on toasts.
• Toast spices in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and a shade or two darker.
• ** To toast, arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and spread with 2 tablespoons butter. Toast in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

COUNTRY TERRINE

Steps:

• Clean the chicken livers - cut away any sinew, blood or green bits, then set enough aside to run along the length of your terrine dish or loaf tin. Chop the rest into small cubes. Tip all the ingredients - except the prosciutto, whole livers and cornichons, etc, to serve - into a large bowl. Season and mix well with your hands. If you have time, you can cover and set aside in the fridge for the flavours to mingle for a few hours or overnight.
• Line the base and sides of a 1kg terrine dish or small loaf tin with baking parchment. Then carefully line the base and sides of the dish/tin with the overlapping slices of prosciutto (A), leaving some hanging over the side and a few slices for the top. Pack half the meat mixture down into the terrine and press down. Lay a row of chicken livers down the middle of the terrine (B), then add the rest of the meat mixture and press down. Lay the remaining prosciutto over the top, then lift the slices from the sides up and over, and cover the dish with foil.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 6. If you have a spare cardboard box in your kitchen, cut a piece of card out slightly larger than the base of the terrine. Put it in a deep roasting tray and sit the terrine on top (this helps the terrine to cook evenly). Boil a kettle and pour in enough water so it comes halfway up the terrine. Carefully place it on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hr.
• Remove the tin from the oven, take out the terrine and leave to cool completely. Place on a plate or a tray with another flat tray on top, weigh down with a few cans and leave to chill overnight. To turn out the terrine, slip a knife between the paper and the terrine to loosen it, then turn it out onto a board. Wipe off the jelly and either serve straight away sliced or wrap in cling film and slice later. Serve with toasted bread - a favourite of mine is walnut bread and some nice leaves dressed with walnut oil. You can keep the terrine for up to two days, but it will start to lose its colour.

TERRINE OF RABBIT IN ASPIC

Steps:

• Place the rabbit in a bowl. Combine one cup of the wine with the thyme, rosemary, one clove garlic, shallots, salt and pepper, pour over the rabbit and allow to marinate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole. Cut one of the carrots into thick slices and stir in with the sliced onion. When the vegetables begin to color, stir in the remaining garlic. Drain the rabbit pieces and reserve the marinade. Pat the rabbit pieces dry on paper towels and add them to the casserole. Stir them around for a few minutes, then strain the marinade into the casserole. Add three tablespoons of the Cognac.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven to braise for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the rabbit is tender. Allow to cool to room temperature in the casserole.
• Remove the meat from the bones, keeping it in chunks. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with vinegar and toss with the tarragon leaves.
• Cut the remaining four carrots into quarters lengthwise, and then into 1-inch pieces. Place the carrots and pearl onions in a saucepan with the chicken stock and simmer about eight minutes, until just tender. Remove vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and mix gently with the rabbit. Reserve the stock, covered.
• Soften the gelatin in water, then dissolve in the hot reserved stock. Stir in the remaining white wine and Cognac. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Pour the sauce over the rabbit and vegetables, mix gently and then transfer to a 5- to 6-cup terrine or glass bowl. Refrigerate until set. Serve as a first course or luncheon dish with a small salad such as mache in vinaigrette dressing.

RABBIT & PORK TERRINE WITH PEPPERCORNS

Steps:

• Ask your butcher to remove the meat from the rabbit, or do it yourself. The leg meat can be as roughly prepped as you like, but keep the loins as neat as you can.
• Put the leg meat, trimmings and pork belly in a processor, finely chop, then tip into a large bowl. Melt the butter and cook the garlic, shallots and thyme together gently for 8 mins or until the shallots are soft but not coloured. Tip onto the minced meat, add the allspice, peppercorns and 3 tbsp brandy, then mix well. Leave to mingle for 1 hr, or longer if you like, in the fridge.
• Add the oil to the pan and quickly brown the loins; you don't need to cook them through. If you fancy, add 1 tbsp brandy to the pan and flambé them to finish. Set aside on a plate and tip any pan juices into the minced mixture.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Remove the garlic from the mince and season generously. It's a good idea to fry a small ball of the mixture, let it cool, then taste to check the seasoning. Line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of foil. Stretch each piece of bacon a little with your knife. Arrange the rashers so that the base of the tin is covered with overlapping bacon and the rashers come neatly up the sides in a single layer and overhang generously. Boil a kettleful of water.
• Press a third of the mince into the tin. Make a lengthways channel along one side, then poke in a line of loin pieces, so that they meet end-to-end. Scatter half the cornichons over the other side. Add the next third of mince and repeat, this time with the loins and cornichons on the opposite sides. Cover with the remaining mince, then bring the bacon over to seal. Wrap tightly in foil and put in a deep roasting tin. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the terrine and bake for 2 hrs or until a skewer comes out hot from the middle of the terrine, and the juices run clear. Top up the water if needed.
• To press the terrine, sit the loaf tin on a rack in a roasting tin. Tear some cardboard to fit the top of the loaf tin as neatly as you can (we used egg box lids). Add a few layers and sit something extremely heavy on top to press the cardboard and terrine down (we used a cast-iron dish). Cool to room temperature, then chill completely, ideally overnight. Remove the weight and re-wrap the terrine in clean foil or cling film. Ideally, let it mature for 2 days in the fridge before eating. Serve with the pickle salad, below, and remaining cornichons.

GAME TERRINE

Steps:

• Carefully cut the duck skin from the duck breast, then very finely chop the skin. Reserve 12 bacon rashers for lining the tin. Cut all the meat and remaining bacon into 1cm pieces, keeping the different meats separate (Step 1). Put all the best bits to one side.
• Reserve the chopped bacon and, from the best bits, reserve 100g chopped chicken, 250g chicken livers, half the mixed game, half the duck and half the duck skin.
• Put all the remaining meat and duck skin into a food processor (include any fattier pieces) and blend to a mince. Transfer to a bowl and add the garlic, allspice, juniper berries, parsley, Armagnac or brandy, wine and stock. Mix in the reserved chopped meat and marinate in the fridge overnight.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 1.5-litre loaf tin or terrine mould with butter. Lightly stretch the reserved bacon rashers (Step 2) and use most of them to line the tin or mould, overlapping slightly and leaving plenty of overhang at the top (Step 3). Pack the meat mixture into the tin (Step 4), then fold over the bacon overhang and lay the reserved rashers on top.
• Cover the terrine with baking parchment, then cover tightly with foil. Put a folded tea towel in a roasting tin and set the terrine on top (Step 5). Pour enough hot water into the roasting tin to come just below the rim of the terrine tin.
• Put in the oven, then reduce heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and bake for 1½ hrs. Take from the oven and leave to cool for 1 hr in the water bath, then remove and leave to cool completely.
• Once cool, cut a strip of foil or card to fit the top of the tin, put it on top of the terrine and weigh it down with a few heavy cans (Step 6). Chill overnight.
• Carefully remove the terrine from the tin, wipe off all the jelly and serve in slices with the toasts and cornichons.