Chicken Terrine with Herbs

Prep time: 30-60 mins
Cook time: over 2 hours
Serves: 14-16

These terrines are perfect for keeping in the fridge over the festive period for an impromptu snack. They’d be delicious with a pear, fig chutney or Cumberland sauce.

Ingredients

For this recipe you will need, 8 x mini terrine dishes (250ml/9fl oz capacity) or 2 large terrine dishes (1litre/2pints 2fl oz capacity).

• 1 x 1.4kg/3lb chicken, flesh removed and chopped, skin and bones discarded
• 110g/4oz unsmoked ham, chopped
• 300g/11oz pork shoulder, chopped
• 300g/11oz veal rump, chopped
• 300ml/11fl oz double cream, very cold
• 1 free-range egg
• 75ml/3fl oz Armagnac or Cognac (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 200ml/7fl oz dry white wine
• 3 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 100g/4oz butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 x 250g/9oz chicken breast, sliced into 1cm/½in strips
• 250g/9oz pork back fat (available from your butcher), finely sliced

To serve:

• 1 loaf crusty bread, sliced, toasted

Directions

1. Mince the chicken, ham, pork and veal twice in a mincer using a medium-sized mincer blade disc. Alternatively, chop the meat into tiny pieces with a sharp knife.
2. Put the minced meat into a well-chilled bowl, set on a larger bowl of ice and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
3. Stir in the cream, egg, Armagnac or Cognac (if using), thyme and white wine until well combined.
4. Add the salt and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. This is called the farce.
5. Heat 40g/1½oz of the butter in a small saucepan and fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes, then set aside to cool. Stir in the herbs.
6. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan and remove from the heat.
7. Dip the chicken breast strips in the melted butter, then dip in the shallot and herb mixture until well coated. Set aside on a plate.
8. Line the terrines with strips of pork fat.
9. Spread half of the farce in the bottom of the terrines, then add a layer of chicken breast strips, top with the remaining farce, then more slices of pork fat.
10. Cover with the lid and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
11. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
12. Place the terrines into a large baking tray and half-fill the baking tray with boiling water.
13. Cook the terrines for 30 minutes uncovered, then cover with the lids and cook for a further 15 minutes.
14. Remove the terrines from the oven, remove the lids and place a weighted board (maximum weight 250g/9oz) onto the terrines to compress them gently until they have completely cooled. Leave to chill in the fridge.
15. Serve with toasted crusty bread.