Classic Pork and Liver Country Pâté
- Yield: 15 appetizer portions
Description
This is a dish that uses very basic (some say humble) ingredients. The key here is to grind the meat twice, this ensures a good bind so it holds the mold shape.
Ingredients
2 pounds (1 kilogram) Boneless Pork Shoulder; cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) dice
4 ounces (110 grams) Pork Livers or Chicken Livers; veins and connective tissue removed, cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) dice
¼ cup Roughly Chopped Onion
1½ tablespoons Minced Garlic
½ cup (48 grams) Coarsely Chopped Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
2 tablespoons (30 grams) Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ teaspoon All-Purpose Spice Mix for Meat Pâté (click here for recipe)
2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
2 Large Eggs
½ cup (120 milliliters) Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Brandy
- Optional 1 cup (240 milliliter) Garnish; diced smoked ham, confit, cooked mushrooms
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath in a 500° F/150° C oven (go here to learn more).
- Grind the pork through a 3/8-inch (9-millimeter) die into the bowl of a standing mixer set in an ice bath.
- Transfer about one-third of the ground meat to another bowl and add to it the livers, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and spice mix. Grind this mixture through a ⅛-inch (3-millimeter) die into the same mixing bowl with the remaining coarsely ground pork, still in its ice bath. Refrigerate or freeze until thoroughly chilled.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, eggs, cream, and brandy and stir to blend. Add this panade to the ground meat and seasonings. Add the garnish, if using.
- Fit the bowl into the standing mixer and, using the paddle attachment, mix at medium-high speed until the panade, seasoned finely ground meat, and coarsely ground meat are uniformly mixed and the forcemeat becomes sticky, about a minute.
- Do a quenelle test (go here to learn more) and adjust the seasoning if necessary, remembering that cooked food served cold requires more seasoning.
- Line a 1 1/2-quart (1.5-liter) terrine meld with plastic wrap and fill it with the pâté. Fold the plastic wrap over the top.
- Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and cook in the water bath to an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C), 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the terrine from the water bath.
- When it’s cool enough to handle, weight the terrine (using a piece of cardboard wrapped in plastic wrap with canned goods on top will suffice) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (6-8 hours, but best if chilled overnight).
- Unmold, slice, and serve.
Notes
From Pâté, Confit, Rillette: Recipes from the Craft of Charcuterie by Brian Polcyn with Micheal Ruhlman
Get this book: here.
Keywords: liver, pork, pâté, charcuterie