Pork Terrine

, from Issue #12. August, 2015
Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Pork Terrine

Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

2 kilo piece pork belly, boned with skin on
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 stick celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
4 parsley stalks
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups good chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons small capers, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

METHOD

Slice and serve with crusty bread, butter and the Apricot Chutney.

Preheat the oven to 120oC.

Put all the vegetables and aromatics in a deep roasting pan. Place the pork belly, meat side down, on top. Pour over the chicken stock then add enough water to just cover the pork. Add the salt and bring to the boil. Cover tightly with tin foil and cook in the oven for about 4 hours or until meltingly tender.

Remove the pork and strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Boil until reduced to about 400ml then set aside to cool. When the pork is cool enough to handle, but still warm, pull the meat off, discarding the fat and skin, and place in a bowl. Add the capers, parsley and the cold stock and season to taste.

Line a 1 litre terrine or loaf tin with plastic wrap, allowing some excess to overhang. Spoon the mixture into the terrine, pressing it down evenly. Give it a gentle tap on the bench to fill any gaps. Cover with the excess plastic wrap. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit the terrine and cover with tin foil. Place it on top and lightly weigh it down. Refrigerate the terrine overnight or until set.

To serve: Un-mould the terrine by inverting it onto a platter or board and remove the plastic wrap. Slice and serve with crusty bread, butter and the apricot chutney.

Chopped pickled walnuts or pickled cherries could also be added to the terrine.

Note: 2 kilos of raw pork belly will give you abut 800 grams of cooked meat.