Duck, Pork and Chicken Terrine

This recipe was from Gordon Ramsey on the BBC Food website. I have modified it and it is still fabulous. Serve with mild cornichons and a glass of sweet wine.

Ingredients:

• 200g skinless duck breast
• 200g skinless chicken breast
• 150g pork tenderloin
• fillet
• 2plump garlic cloves
• peeled
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp Armagnac
• brandy
• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter, plus extra for greasing terrine
• about thinly sliced rindless streaky bacon (dry cure is best) or pancetta
• 1kg best quality sausage meat
• 150ml double cream
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme or rosemary

Prepare duck and chicken breasts and the pork fillet by trimming off any sinews and fat. Smash the garlic with the back of a knife to crush roughly. Mix the meats in a bowl with the garlic, thyme, Armagnac, oil and pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hrs.

Drain the meats from the marinade, which can be discarded, and cut into chunks of about 1.5cm then season slightly.

Grease a 1kg terrine or loaf tin well. I tend to use two small loaf tins as this does make a decent quantity of  terrine. Arrange strips of bacon on the base and up both sides with enough overhanging to fold over. You will have a double layer of bacon on the base. Set aside.

Soften the sausage meat in a big bowl with a wooden spoon, then work in the cream and chopped herbs. To check the seasoning, shape a tbsp of the mixture into a patty and fry in a little oil for 2-3 mins, then taste and add more salt and pepper to the bowl, if needed.

Mix the marinated meats into the sausage meat. (if you can, use 85% fat free sausage meat but don't worry if you can't. Scoop the mixture into the terrine, pressing down well. Pull the overhanging bacon strips up and over to cover or cover with strips if the strips are a little short.

Heat oven to 180C/fan. Double-wrap the terrine top in foil, pressing well into the sides and twisting the ends to seal. Place in a large, deep-sided roasting pan and pour in boiling water to reach halfway up the sides. Bake for 1.5 hrs, until the meat feels firm on top when pressed - keep an eye on the water level! Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chill overnight. (Depending on the meat, there will be liquid and you can pour this off into a bowl and discard) If you use 2 tins like me, freeze one and enjoy the other as soon as you want!!

Serve in slices with cornichons,  chunks of crusty bread and a glass of desert wine!