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Two types of terrine molds, a cast-iron enameled one with a lid and a porcelain mold. The shape and size of the mold will determine the cooking time and shape of the pâté, but as far as materials go, it really doesn’t matter what type of mold you use. These two molds are ideal for pâtés made from meat or fish. The lid on the enameled one is convenient, and both of the molds are elegant items to have in your kitchen.

COOKING

The recipes here generally fill a 11⁄2-quart/1.5-liter terrine mold. If your mold is smaller, you can either reduce the recipe accordingly (if your mold holds only a quart, reduce the quantities by two-thirds), or you can fill your mold, then wrap and poach the extra in water as you would a galantine (see step 11 on page 227).

Gentle heat is required for any terrine. If the forcemeat becomes too hot, it will break—the fat will separate out. You can cook a pâté without a mold simply by wrapping it securely in plastic and gently poaching it in water (160 to 170 degrees F./71 to 76 degrees C.) to the right temperature; usually 150 degrees F./65 degrees C., but if it includes poultry, 160 degrees F./71 degrees C.

If you’re using a terrine mold and intend to remove the pâté to serve it, line the mold with plastic wrap, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on the two long sides to fold over the top. (Dampen the inside of the mold, and the plastic wrap will stick in those corners and edges.) Thin strips of fat or bacon are sometimes used to enclose a pâté. Some cooks still favor this method, but there’s enough fat in a pâté already, and generally solid fat eaten cold is not a delight. Only one of these recipes here call for this type of lining, but if you like the idea, any meat terrine can be lined using this traditional method.

With the mold thus lined, fill it with your forcemeat. It helps if you thwack it in, snapping it off the spoon or rubber spatula, to prevent air pockets. Pack the mixture down thoroughly, pushing it down with the edge of the spoon or spatula, then pressing it down and smoothing it out with the back of the spoon or the spatula.

Fold the plastic wrap over the top so the terrine is completely enclosed, then cover with the lid or with foil.

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. is best) to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Put the roasting pan in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F./150 degrees C.

Terrines take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, depending on their size. Start checking the temperature with an instant-read thermometer a few minutes or so before the time given in the recipe. When the interior of the terrine reaches the desired temperature (as a rule, a pork should reach 150 degrees F./65 degrees C., poultry 160 degrees F./71 degrees C.), remove it from the oven and set it on a rack (it will continue to cook when removed from the oven, the interior temperature rising by between five and ten degrees F., sometimes more, an effect called carryover cooking). Let cool to room temperature.

PÂTÈ EN TERRINE WITH PORK TENDERLOIN INLAY

Mise en place for a pâté en terrine: ground and pureed meat and fat in a bowl set in ice, pork tenderloin inlay, and a terrine mold lined with plastic wrap, with enough overhang to fold over the top. The chunks of ham, chopped pistachios, and chopped black truffles will be folded in as additional garnish

The ham, pistachios, and truffles (the secondary, or random, garnish) are folded into the pureed meat and fat mixture while the mixture is kept cold.

The lined terrine mold is filled about halfway with the ground meat mixture, which is pressed down with a spatula to remove any air pockets.

The pork tenderloin, the primary garnish, is laid in the center of the mold, then the mold is filled with the remaining ground meat mixture, completely covering the tenderloin. The tenderloin should be perfectly centered in the pâté.

The plastic wrap overhang is folded over to enclose