Country Style Pate

Instructions

Active time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2.5 hours
Refrigeration time: 8 hours to 5 days

Serves 16 as an appetizer

Note: I suggest serving the pâté at room temperature with cornichons, Dijon mustard, and crusty French bread. Quatre épices is a French spice blend available in some supermarkets. We recommend making your own by combining 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not brown, about 8 minutes.

3. Combine pork, chopped bacon, and chicken livers in large bowl, and mix thoroughly to combine. In medium bowl, whip eggs, cognac, and cream together with fork. Add thyme, garlic, salt, and quatre épices to egg mixture. Add egg mixture to meat mixture, followed by sautéed shallot, pistachios, and green peppercorns, and mix thoroughly to combine.

4. Arrange bay leaves, bright green side down, in 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan. Line pan with bacon slices, arranging 6 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan. Transfer pâté mixture to bacon-lined pan. Using hands, press mixture firmly into pan (pan will be very full). Fold bacon slices over mixture. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.

5. Place loaf pan in 13 by 9-inch baking dish and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking dish to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until center registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours 30 minutes.

6. Remove loaf pan from baking dish and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or small baking sheet filled with heavy cans on top of pâté to weigh down. Let cool at room temperature one hour, then transfer to refrigerator and chill at least 8 hours or up to 5 days.

7. To unmold, remove pate from refrigerator, and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Place loaf pan with pâté in baking dish full of hot water for 1 minute. Using paring knife, loosen edges of pâté from pan. Place cutting board on top of pâté and invert loaf pan to unmold. Slice and serve with garnishes.

Author's Comments

I found this recipe on America's Test Kitchen: http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/do-it-yourself/2011/12/how-to-make-country-style-pate/

Tried their version first, but if/when I make this again, I wouldn't alter it at all--amazing!

I didn't want to eat the whole loaf right away, so I wrapped slices in tinfoil and froze them in a freezer baggie. Worked great!

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