Charcuterie_ The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing - Michael Ruhlman [103]
11. Warm the aspic until it’s just fluid. Pour enough aspic into the steam hole of the pie to reach the top. Refrigerate to set the aspic, about 2 hours.
Yield: 6 servings
[ NOTE: See pages 204–212 for a detailed description of the general terrine method. ]
Straight Pâtés
Straight pâtés (or straight forcemeats) are distinguished by their smooth texture; the meat is first finely ground, then pureed in a food processor.
PORK TERRINE WITH PORK TENDERLOIN INLAY
Part of the excitement of serving this kind of pâté is that it looks so impressive—a disk of juicy pink tenderloin surrounded by a pâté rich with chunks of garnish. The pork, what is called an inlay in charcuterie terms, should be centered and the dominant feature of the pâté. It entices—to look at it makes you crave it. But although the ground meat for the pâté is pureed in a food processor, rather than mixed, making the texture very fine, and though the tenderloin is seared to enhance flavor, and to help the forcemeat stick to it during cooking, for all its looks and craftsmanship, this pâté is no more difficult to make than a country pâté. (See illustrations on pages 210–211.)
Serve it simply, a slice or two on each small plate with a good condiment (the Onion-Raisin Chutney, for instance, on page 295). It also makes an elegant appetizer, with a sauce (Orange-Ginger, page 290, would work well) or with a salad of mesclun greens with a strong (acidic) vinaigrette.
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound/450 grams, fat and silverskin removed
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters clarified butter or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon/18 grams minced garlic
1 tablespoon/18 grams minced shallots
1 cup/250 milliliters Madeira
2 tablespoons/30 milliliters brandy
1⁄4 cup/60 milliliters whole milk
2 slices white bread, crust removed
15 ounces/420 grams boneless lean pork shoulder butt, diced
10 ounces/300 grams pork back fat, diced (see step 2 below)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons/5 grams freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon/3 grams pink salt (optional)
2 teaspoons/8 grams Pâté Spice (page 147)
OPTIONAL GARNISH
Diced Ham, black truffle peelings, and/or smoked tongue (total of 1 cup/250 milliliters of any or a combination)
1. Freeze all your blades and bowls before gathering and measuring your ingredients (see Note below).
2. Trim the tenderloin to the length of your mold, removing as much of the tapered end as necessary. The tenderloin will become a central shaft within the terrine, so the more uniform it is, the better; if it’s too thick, trim it to the appropriate dimensions relative to your mold to ensure it will be completely surrounded by the forcemeat. Season the tenderloin well with salt and the pepper. Reserve any trimmings and grind with the pork shoulder butt (total weight should still be 10 ounces/280 grams).
3. Place a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over high heat and add the butter or oil. When it’s smoking hot, sear the tenderloin on all sides; the better the sear, the better the flavor. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and put in the refrigerator to cool. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and sauté briefly, just to soften, about 30 seconds, being careful not to brown them. Add the Madeira and brandy, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze, and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, a few minutes. Transfer this reduction to a small bowl and refrigerate to chill.
4. Combine the milk and bread, to make the panada, and refrigerate.
5. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F./150˚C.
6. Grind the meat (including any tenderloin trimmings) and fat through the small die into a bowl set in ice. Transfer to the food processor bowl and add the garlic-wine reduction, the panada, pepper, pink salt, if using, and pâté spice. Puree, pulsing, until smooth.
7. If using an optional garnish, transfer the forcemeat to a bowl and fold it in. Do a quenelle test to check for