Pear, Blue Cheese, and Chicken Terrine

By akselden

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rhine wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large Bose pear (8 ounces), peeled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, ground*
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces Bleu d'Auvergne cheese
• or other blue cheese, crumbled
• 8 slices bacon
• Cracked black peppercorns
• Vinaigrette
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
• Salad
• Watercress and/or Belgian endive
• Walnut pieces (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

In medium saucepan stir together wine and sugar. Bring to boil; add pear. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until pear is tender. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Allow pear to cool in wine mixture for 1 hour, turning pear occasionally. Remove pear; discard liquid. Core and coarsely chop pear (should have about 1 cup); set aside. Place ground chicken in food processor with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. With processor running, gradually add cream. Transfer mixture to large mixing bowl. Gently stir in pear and cheese. Arrange bacon slices crosswise in 8x4x2-inch loaf pan, letting slices hang over pan edges. Add chicken mixture, patting down evenly. Fold bacon slices
over filling. Sprinkle with peppercorns. Bake in 350°F oven for 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 165°F Remove and let stand, covered, in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully pour off fat from terrine, using wide metal spatula to keep terrine from sliding out. Unmold terrine onto cutting board. Slice terrine and serve warm with vinaigrette over watercress and/ or Belgian endive. Sprinkle each serving with walnuts, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
*Note: To save on prep work, have butcher at your supermarket grind chicken for you vinaigrette: Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover; shake well and set aside. (Or, nuke dressing ahead. Cover and chill up to 1 week.)