Country Pâté

Ingredients

• 2½ lb ground pork
• 6 oz chicken or beef liver roughly chopped
• 12 oz bacon 8 slices, finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices for pan lining
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 medium white onion minced
• ¾ C brandy
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2½ tsp sea salt
• 2½ tsp dried thyme
• 1½ tsp allspice
• ½ C roasted pistachio nuts
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 80 ml heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Prep Oven: Position oven rack to the lowest position and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook Onions: Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook ~6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent without browning. Add brandy, bring to a boil, reduce slightly (~1 minute), then remove from heat.
3. Mix Meat Base: In a large bowl, combine garlic, liver, ground pork, and chopped bacon. Mix well.
4. Build Mixture: Add the onion mixture, salt, thyme, allspice, pistachios, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then add eggs and cream and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Line Pans: Line five mini loaf pans or one 10x5x3" loaf pan with bacon slices, slightly overlapping and overhanging by about 1"
6. Assemble: Fill pans to the top with the meat mixture. Fold the overhanging bacon over the pâté to cover.
7. Bake: Cover tightly with foil and place pans in a bain-marie. Bake on the lowest rack until internal temperature reaches 155°F (~1 hour for small loaves, up to 2 hours for a large loaf).
8. Press & Chill: Remove pans carefully. Weight the pâté while cooling for best texture, then refrigerate overnight.
9. Unmold: Place loaf pan in a larger pan of hot water for a few minutes. Remove foil and invert onto a cutting board.
10. Serve: Slice crosswise into ½" slices. Remove outer bacon fat if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature with baguette, Dijon mustard, butter, cornichons, and a sturdy red wine.

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