Country Pâté

By á-25087

Country Pâté is filled with all the pork-y flavors your guests crave. Made from ground pork and then encased in crisp bacon, this recipe goes perfectly sliced on crunchy crackers or freshly toasted bread. This recipe can be made up to 4 days ahead of when you plan to serve it for a stress-free appetizer banquet that everyone is sure to enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Cognac
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 12 ounces bacon, about 8 to 10 slices, finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices for lining pan
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 6-ounce piece ham steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• coarse sea salt to taste
• cornichons, tiny French pickles, to serve
• Dijon mustard, to garnish

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 640mins

Preparation

Step 1

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Boil Cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool.

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.

Combine ground pork and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended.

Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, and pepper to bowl with pork mixture and stir until incorporated. Add eggs, cream, and reduced Cognac. Stir until well blended.

Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. Using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture, about 3 1/4 cups, onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange ham strips over in single layer. Top with remaining meat mixture.

Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté. Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight. This recipe can be made 4 days ahead or service.

Place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. Cut pâté crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.