chicken and pancetta terrine
with wild mushrooms

Ingredients (Serves 10-12)

·         650gm-1kg boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1cm cubes (You need to experiment with the quantity to achieve a balance of flavours that suits you)

·         300gm Pancetta, or Parma ham, or similar

·         50gm dried Porcini mushrooms

·         2 tbsps good quality olive oil

·         6 echalion (Banana) shallots, peeled and finely chopped

·         2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

·         20gm flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (You can use more, if you prefer, but not more than 40gm in total)

·         20gm fresh tarragon, finely chopped

·         100ml dry white wine

·         Good grating of nutmeg

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will also need a lidded, 9cm-deep terrine dish (29x7.5cm), or a 2lb loaf tin; baking parchment, kitchen foil, and a piece of card slightly larger than the top of the dish or the tin.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4

·         Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, and when it is hot (but not smoking), add the shallots. Cook over a fairly high heat for 5 minutes until slightly tinged with brown at the edges (but not burnt).

·         Then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool completely.

·         Use 200gm of the Pancetta to line the terrine dish; make sure that the slices overlap, especially on the base, and that there is enough overhang to cover the top once the dish is filled.

·         Finely slice the rest of the Pancetta, and put it in a large bowl with the chicken.

·         Put the porcini in another bowl and add 200ml of boiling water. Soak for not less than 10 minutes.

·         Strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop finely.

·         Put the liquid from the mushrooms in a pan over a high heat and reduce to 1 tbsp. Allow to cool.

·         Add the herbs to the chicken and Pancetta along with the cooled shallots, white wine and mushrooms, and season very well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

·         Strain the reduced mushroom liquid, then add it to the meat mixture. Give the whole thing a good mix with clean hands.

·         Pack the mixture into the lined terrine dish/tin, and cover well with overlapping Pancetta, making sure there are no gaps. [If using a terrine dish, cover the surface of the terrine with baking parchment, and then put the lid on. If using a loaf tin, cover the surface of the terrine with a layer of baking parchment, followed by a double layer of foil folded under the rim to seal.]

·         Place the dish in a roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour if using a terrine dish, or 1 hour 15 minutes if using a loaf tin.

·         Remove from the oven and uncover. Insert a metal skewer into the centre and wait for a few seconds. The juices should run clear: place the tip of the skewer against your bottom lip; if it is hot and the terrine feels firm to touch, then it is done. [If you have a kitchen thermometer, insert this into the centre of the terrine – the core temperature should be at or above 70°C.]

·         Empty the water from the roasting tin, and return the terrine to it. Cover the terrine with baking parchment, and now press the terrine by using a piece of thick card to fit the top of the dish, cover with foil, place weights on top and leave for at least 1 hour.

·         Remove the weights, and cover the terrine with the lid or fresh foil. When cool, chill in a fridge.

This terrine can be made up to three days ahead, if you are preparing it for a special occasion. Do not be afraid to slightly vary the ingredients by experimentation to suit your taste preferences, but don't overdo either the tarragon or the Porcini mushrooms.