Country Pâté

Pair with Long Meadow Ranch Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 lbs pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/4 pounds thick-cut bacon
  • 1/4 pound chicken liver
  • 1/2 cup small diced yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery leaf
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pink salt (optional)
  • 2 tsp toasted and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp spice blend (1/2 tsp clove, 1/2 tsp mace, 1/2 ginger, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cinnamon)
  • 1 cup pistachios
  • 1/4 lb country ham, cut into 1/4-inch by 2-inch strips
PANADE
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 oz bourbon
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Combine partially frozen pork butt with all ingredients except for country ham, pistachios, and panade.
  • Feed 1/2 of this mixture through a meat grinder fitted to a medium dice and the other half through a small die. If you do not have a meat grinder handy, simply ask your local butcher. Chill meat in a bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Preheat oven to 300°F.
  • Begin the panade by whisking together the flour with half of the cream to make a paste. Once the texture is smooth, slowly add the rest of the cream.
  • Whisk in the lightly beaten eggs and bourbon into the cream mixture.
  • Combine meat mixture, panade, and pistachios in the chilled bowl of the stand mixer.
  • Mix on low until ingredients are incorporated evenly. Take a small spoon full of the mixture and cook off in a nonstick pan to taste for seasoning.
  • Line an 8-inch pâté mold with strips of bacon, letting the bacon hang over the sides. Add a fourth of the pâté mixture at a time, making sure to pack it well so there are no air pockets. After each portion of pâté mixture, inlay strips of country ham in cross-sections.
  • After all layers are complete, wrap the rest of the bacon over the top of the pâté to cover.
  • Place the pâté mold in a large roasting pan and set on oven rack.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully pour in roasting pan until water reaches most of the way up the side of the mold. Bake until internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 2 hours.
  • Remove from the oven and remove the top of the pâté mold. Wrap the brick in foil and place on top of the pâté to weigh it down. Let cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator overnight.
  • The following day remove from refrigerator, pull pâté out of the mold. Rinse off the fat and dry with clean towel. Slice up and serve with mustard, pickles and grilled bread.