Country Pâté
(This is my own version of Julia's Country Pâté from The Way to Cook)
2/3 cup minced onions cooked until translucent in 2 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup cream cheese or goat cheese
1 egg
1-1/4 lbs. (2-1/2 cups) pork sausage meat (I like regular Farmer John's, but maybe that's a local brand)
3/4 lb (1-1/2 cups) raw chicken breasts
1/2 lb. (1 cup) beef liver
1 cup lightly pressed down fresh bread crumbs.
1 medium clove of garlic, pureed
2 to 3 Tbs. brandy
1 Tbs. salt (or less if your sausage is salty.)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice, or to taste
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
A handful of peeled pistachios
3 or 4 bay leaves
A 6-cup loaf pan or baking dish
A twin pan or board and canned goods for weighing down the pâté as it cools
A larger pan for a bain marie.
Waxed paper and foil
Boiling water
An instant-read thermometer
Butter the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
Mix the onions and cream cheese together; add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the sausage meat and mix until just combined.
Trim the chicken and liver of any connective tissue and grind in a meat grinder or a processor. Add to the sausage mixture with all remaining ingredients except for the bay leaves. Mix until just combined. (Don't overwork or the pate will be tough)
To check seasoning, saute a small spoonful of the mixture and taste. Add more seasonings if needed, exaggerating the flavors since the pâté will be served cold.
Place the bay leaves in a decorative pattern in the baking dish. Pack the mixture into the dish. Cover with buttered wax paper, then foil, and trim to allow only 1 inch of overhang. Set the baking dish into the larger pan, filled with boiling water, and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. It is done at a thermometer reading of 162*F.
When done, let cool for an hour. Place the pâté pan back into the empty larger pan to catch any drips. Put the twin pan on top with a couple of canned goods, and let the pâté cool completely. Remove weights and regrigerate.
Let the pâté rest for a day or two to develop its full flavor. To unmold, set in hot water to decongeal for a few minutes. Cover with a rack and turn over to pour out fat and juices. Replace the rack with a platter and invert the pâté onto it.
Serve in thin slices with good bread, Dijon mustard, and cornichons. To make a meal out of it, serve celeri remoulade and/or a green salad.
Notes: I always make a double recipe of this and freeze one unbaked. Pâté should not be frozen after baking; it looses its texture and becomes damp.
As a variation, Julia also suggests layering in strips of ham or chicken as you pack the dish, about a quarter pound. You would then omit the pistachios.
(This is my own version of Julia's Country Pâté from The Way to Cook)
2/3 cup minced onions cooked until translucent in 2 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup cream cheese or goat cheese
1 egg
1-1/4 lbs. (2-1/2 cups) pork sausage meat (I like regular Farmer John's, but maybe that's a local brand)
3/4 lb (1-1/2 cups) raw chicken breasts
1/2 lb. (1 cup) beef liver
1 cup lightly pressed down fresh bread crumbs.
1 medium clove of garlic, pureed
2 to 3 Tbs. brandy
1 Tbs. salt (or less if your sausage is salty.)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice, or to taste
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
A handful of peeled pistachios
3 or 4 bay leaves
A 6-cup loaf pan or baking dish
A twin pan or board and canned goods for weighing down the pâté as it cools
A larger pan for a bain marie.
Waxed paper and foil
Boiling water
An instant-read thermometer
Butter the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
Mix the onions and cream cheese together; add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the sausage meat and mix until just combined.
Trim the chicken and liver of any connective tissue and grind in a meat grinder or a processor. Add to the sausage mixture with all remaining ingredients except for the bay leaves. Mix until just combined. (Don't overwork or the pate will be tough)
To check seasoning, saute a small spoonful of the mixture and taste. Add more seasonings if needed, exaggerating the flavors since the pâté will be served cold.
Place the bay leaves in a decorative pattern in the baking dish. Pack the mixture into the dish. Cover with buttered wax paper, then foil, and trim to allow only 1 inch of overhang. Set the baking dish into the larger pan, filled with boiling water, and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. It is done at a thermometer reading of 162*F.
When done, let cool for an hour. Place the pâté pan back into the empty larger pan to catch any drips. Put the twin pan on top with a couple of canned goods, and let the pâté cool completely. Remove weights and regrigerate.
Let the pâté rest for a day or two to develop its full flavor. To unmold, set in hot water to decongeal for a few minutes. Cover with a rack and turn over to pour out fat and juices. Replace the rack with a platter and invert the pâté onto it.
Serve in thin slices with good bread, Dijon mustard, and cornichons. To make a meal out of it, serve celeri remoulade and/or a green salad.
Notes: I always make a double recipe of this and freeze one unbaked. Pâté should not be frozen after baking; it looses its texture and becomes damp.
As a variation, Julia also suggests layering in strips of ham or chicken as you pack the dish, about a quarter pound. You would then omit the pistachios.