Charcuterie_ The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing - Michael Ruhlman [104]
8. Line a 11⁄2-quart/1.5-liter terrine mold with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang on the two long sides to cover the filled terrine. Fill just under halfway with the forcemeat, spreading it evenly in the mold. Lay the seared tenderloin in the mold, pushing down gently to press the forcemeat up around it, then fill the mold with the remaining forcemeat. Fold the plastic wrap over and cover with the lid or aluminum foil.
9. Place the terrine in a high-sided roasting pan and fill the pan with enough hot water (very hot tap water, 150 to 160 degrees F./65 to 71 degrees C. to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Put the roasting pan in the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pâté registers 150 degrees F./60 degrees C.
10. Remove the pâté from the oven, remove from the water bath, and set a weight of about 2 pounds/1 kilogram on top of it. When it’s cool enough to handle, place the terrine in the refrigerator and chill overnight, or for up to a week.
Yield: 24 slices; 12 appetizer servings
[ NOTE: See pages 204–212 for a detailed description of the general terrine method. ]
VENISON TERRINE WITH DRIED CHERRIES
If you have access to venison, this is a delectable dish to make with tougher cuts, such as the shoulder (rather than the loin, for instance). Plus it’s an elegant preparation worthy of the winter holidays, especially popular in Eastern Europe, where hunted venison and game are prevalent. Serve it with a spicy-fruity sauce that accentuates the rich flavor of the venison—a chutney, the Orange-Ginger Sauce (page 290), or the traditional Cumberland Sauce (page 289).
1 pound/450 grams boneless lean venison shoulder or leg, trimmed of all sinew and cut into 1-inch/2.5-centimeter dice
14 ounces/400 grams pork back fat, cut into 1-inch dice
11⁄2 cups/375 milliliters dry Madeira
1 tablespoon/12 grams Pâté Spice (page 147)
1 ounce/30 grams kosher salt (2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons/6 grams freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon/2 grams pink salt (for color, optional)
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters butter
1 tablespoon/18 grams minced garlic
1 tablespoon/18 grams minced shallots
3 large egg whites
1⁄2 cup/125 milliliters heavy cream
2 cups/400 grams dried tart cherries, picked over for pits, plumped overnight in 1 cup/250 milliliters brandy
8 to 10 thin (1/8-inch/1/4-centimeter) slices ham
1. Combine the meat, fat, Madeira, pâté spice, salt, pepper, and pink salt, if using, in a bowl or other container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Freeze all your blades and bowls before gathering and measuring the remaining ingredients (see Note below).
3. The next day, drain the meat, reserving the liquid. Drain the brandy from the plumped cherries and add to reserved liquid. In a sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté garlic and shallots until soft. Add reserved liquid. Bring to a simmer, skimming any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency, being careful not to burn it. Set aside to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F./150 degrees C.
5. Grind the meat and fat through the small die into a bowl set in ice. Transfer it to a food processor, add the egg whites, and blend until smooth. Add wine reduction and continue to blend until smooth. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold in the cream until fully incorporated. Fold in the cherries.
6. Do a quenelle test to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
7. Line a 11⁄2-quart/1.5-liter terrine mold with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang on the two long sides to fold over the top of the terrine. Line with the slices of ham, leaving enough overhang all around to cover the top when the mold is filled. Fill the mold with the forcemeat. Fold the ham and then the plastic wrap over the top, and cover with the lid or aluminum foil.
8. Place the terrine in a high-sided roasting pan and fill the pan with enough hot water (very hot tap water, 150 to 160 degrees F./65 to 71 degrees C. to come halfway