Country Terrine with Drunken Figs

Submitted by: Erin Mackin

Servings: 12-14

Ingredients: 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 T. pemmican, lard or coconut oil
2 T. garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 T. fresh thyme chopped
1 T. fresh sage chopped
2 tsp. sea salt
1 T. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. toasted cardamom
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 small bay leaf
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
2 large pastured eggs
3 T. bourbon/brandy
1/2 lb chicken livers, trimmed
1 lb. ground fatty pork shoulder
1 lb. ground fatty veal
1/2 lb. baked ham cut into 1/2 inch cubes
12 uncured applewood or cherry smoked bacon slices

1 c. dry red wine
3/4 c. dried black Mission figs

Plantain chips (trader joes has some good ones)
cornichons and mustard for serving

Instructions: Note: This takes about 3 days.

Assemble:  Cook onion and shallots in oil/fat in a heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring,  until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme and sage and cook, stirring, one minute.  Transfer to a large metal or glass bowl set in a larger bowl of ice.

While mixture cools, pulse following ingredients up to, but not including milk, in a food processor until fine.  Then mix into onion mixture with ground meats.  Mix well with hands, add in ham cubes.

Line bottom and long sies of terrine mold or 6-cup loaf pan with bacon strips crosswise, using about 3/4 of them (7-9).  Keep them snug but not overlapping.  There will be a slight overhang.  Fill terrine evenly with meaty mixture, rapping on counter to tighten.  It will mound above top. cover top with the rest of the bacon, then fold those overhanging ends over the ones you just places.  Cover whole deal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Bake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and put rack in center. Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine in a double layer of foil.  This keeps water from ensuing water bath out.  Place dish in a larger baking dish or pan and fill 1/2 way up side of terrine dish with already heated water.   Bake 1 3/4 to 2 hours or until center registers temp of 155 to 160 degrees.  Remove from bath and foil and let stand in mold on rack for 1/2 hour.

Put terrine still in mold into another baking pan and put a piece of wax or parchment paper on top.  Then place a like mold on top of that and weight with a pound of weights, brick or canned goods.  You can also use cardboard that has been cut to fit.  Chill while weighted at least 4 hours, then continue to chill, weighted or not another 24.

Bring wine to a simmer, take off heat, add figs and let them soften, about 15 minutes.   Then remove from wine and quarter.  Place in frig, covered until ready to serve.

To serve:

Run knife around inside edge of terrine an dlet stand in mold in pan with 1 inch of hot water to loosen for a couple minutes.  Tip mold to drain excess fatty liquid out. Place cutting board over top and invert.  Gently wipe of excess liquid. Let stand 30 minutes and then gently place on platter.  Slice into thin 1/2 inch slices and dress with figs.  Serve with chips, mustard and cornichons.

Notes: It’s well worth it for holiday parties.

Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution and Wired to Eat, is a former research biochemist and one of the world’s leading experts in Paleolithic nutrition. Wolf has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of people around the world via his top ranked iTunes podcast and wildly popular seminar series.