Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #11 (2 of 2)

What is the difference between terrine and pâté?
Both items are dishes that consist of ground meat and fat. Wine, spices, dried fruit, and vegetables are commonly added. Terrines (also the name of the dish it is made in) tend to have a rougher ground than pâtés. Terrines also tend to have whole pieces of dried fruit or fat in the center. Like pâtés, terrines are cut into thick slices for serving. Because of pâté’s finer ground, they tend to be a bit more spreadable.

Liver, although not the only meat ingredient, is a standard for both terrine and pâté. Duck and chicken liver are most commonly used. Additional meat from duck and pork are commonly added. The most famous, of course, being foie gras – fattened goose liver.

If terrine has been pressed, chilled, and sliced it becomes pâté.

In Instruction #11 we made Duck Terrine with Prunes and Armagnac.

Forcemeat (stuffing)
400 g duck meat
400 g pork shoulder
50 g pork fat
200 g dried prunes
Armagnac
2 shallots
200 g chicken and duck livers
Thyme
2 or 3 bay leaves
2 curly parley stalks
Port wine
Salt (20 g per kg of forcemeat)
Pepper (2 g per kg of forcemeat)
Four spices (2 g per kg of forcemeat)
2 duck breast, skinless

500 g pork fatback strips.

Instruction
Pass duck, pork shoulder, and pork fat through a grinder. Macerate the dried prunes in Armagnac. Sautee shallots in duck fat that has been pulled from duck skin/fat. Add livers and season with salt, pepper, thyme, parsley stems, and bay leaf, sauté briefly. Pour Armagnac and port wine over livers to deglaze pan. Place into baking tray and chill in refrigerator. Weigh ground meat and season with salt, pepper, and four spices accordingly. Keep cool in refrigerator. Slice duck breast into thin strips. Quickly sauté on high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator to chill. Pass chilled livers through grinder. Measure 200 g and mix into ground meat. Line terrine with back fat (bottom and all four sides), hanging over edges. Make an initial layer in the bottom of the terrine with the ground meat and liver mixture. Top with sautéed duck breast strips. Stud with macerated prunes. Top with ground meat. Repeat. Finishing with ground meat. Pull the overhanging back fat over the terrine mixture. Wrapping and sealing tightly. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 150 degrees Celsius and back for 1 more hour. Placing a cutting board on top of terrine. Weight with cans and “press” overnight. Fold terrine onto serving platter. Glaze or decorate. Slice. Serve.

Serves - 10