Country Pate
This delicious, savory, rough-textured country pâté, Pâté de Campagne in French, is surprisingly easy to make at home. Prepare it at least 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to fully develop. A good-quality country pâté can be quite expensive to buy, but with this recipe you can enjoy the same rich flavor and authentic character at a fraction of the cost. That's exactly why I wanted to share it with you!
Serve it as part of a French charcuterie board or on an appetizer party table with Melted Camembert With Almonds, another easy but quick Zingy French Appetizer, and Snails In Garlic Butter!
It is made with a mixture of minced meats and pork fat. This paté is coarser than a smooth chicken liver paté, but every much as tasty and will provide variety to any appetizer table.
When cold, place in the refrigerator and leave for a few days before using. This will bring out all the flavors and will be absolutely wonderful.
What To Serve With Country Paté
- Serve this flavorful paté in thick slices with a green salad
- Or spread on freshly made toast or crispy French bread.
- Raw vegetables will pair well alongside this ground meat spread.
- If laying out a buffet table, add a pretty pink Salmon Paté or Mushroom Spread for contrasting choices.
More Great Appetizer Recipes
📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Pâté de Campagne
Ingredients
- 8 oz lean veal diced
- 8 oz fresh pork belly diced
- 4 oz ham diced
- 4 oz pork liver diced
- ½ clove garlic
- 4 oz back pork fat diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice or mace
- 4 tablespoon white wine or brandy
- 3 rashers of streaky bacon with the rind removed or 3 strips of thick bacon
Instructions
- Mince all the meats together very roughly, use a food processor if you have one and simply add all the ingredients except the liquids, which can be added when everything else is ground up.
- Crush or mince the garlic finely and add to the meat mixture.
- Add the diced pork fat.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Add the ground allspice or mace.
- Add the wine or brandy. (See substitutes in notes below.)
- Mix thoroughly.
- Press the meat mixture into a 1½ pint ovenproof dish.
- Stretch the streaky bacon with a knife and place over the top.
- Cover with a lid or tin foil.
- Leave for a few hours before baking to allow all the flavours to blend.
- Place in a ceramic terrine mold, a standard glass (oven-safe) loaf pan, or a metal loaf pan with hot water reaching halfway up the dish, making a bain-marie.
- Bake in a Slow/Low preheated oven at 300°F/150°C/Gas 2 for 1½ hours.
- Cool completely before wrapping and storing in the fridge for at least 24 hours or up to a week before serving.
Notes
- Make this dish a minimum of 24 hours ahead of serving. Let it completely cool after removing from the oven, and wrap it well.
- It can remain in the baking dish and be stored in the fridge for up to a week. (It only gets better with time!)
- apple Cider Vinegar (½ vinegar and ½ water)
- chicken or vegetable Broth
- apple Juice
- white Grape Juice
- white Wine Vinegar
- ginger Ale
- water
- fruit juices like:
- white grape juice
- apple juice
- diluted peach, pear or apricot syrups
- apple cider
- apple cider vinegar
- water
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.