Terrine Beaujolais

My favourite cookery book so far this year is the delightfully idiosyncratic Pork & Sons by Stephane Reynaud (25 Phaidon) the grandson of a butcher and the owner of Village 9 Trois in Paris. It's an unabashed homage to all things porcine but written and illustrated with a great deal of humour. (Don't miss the butchery lesson on p. 44-45 which shows one pig marking out where to make the cuts, cosmetic surgery-style, on another.)

It's full of good simple recipes, some classic, some contemporary and all beautifully photographed. Even if you don't need it you'll have to buy it.

Terrine Beaujolais

PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS
STANDING TIME: 3 HOURS, PLUS 48 HOURS

MAKES 1.5 kg ( 3 1/4 lb)

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pig’s liver
80 g ( 3 oz) smoked bacon
130 g (45 oz) pork fat
250 g (9 oz) pork shoulder
250 g (9 oz) boneless pork blade
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, chopped
500 ml (18 fl oz) Beaujolais wine
50 ml (2 fl oz) cognac or brandy
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
100 g ( 35 oz) pig’s caul fat
salt and pepper

Mince all the meat with the coarse blade of a mincer or in a food processor and place in a bowl. Add the garlic, onions, wine, cognac or brandy and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Fill a terrine with this mixture and cover with caul fat. Leave in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C ( 350°F/Gas Mark 4).

Place the terrine in a roasting tin. Add boiling water to the tin to come about halfway up the sides of the terrine. Bake for 2 hours, until the top is well browned.

Leave the terrine to stand for 48 hours before serving.

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