Chicken Terrine - Asparagus, Peas & Beans

Serves 4-6

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Great recipe for a cold first course or a summer main course with salad and cornichons.

 

1 large chicken, boned out and skin kept in one piece

(my butcher will happily do this, ask yours to do it for you, but do give some notice.)

cut all the meat into 1 cm cubes

250 g coarsely minced chicken meat

1 clove garlic, mashed

½ bunch lemon thyme, taken off the stems

grated zest from 1 small lemon

salt

coarsely ground black pepper

80 g toasted pistachio

150 g peas

150 g asparagus, cut into 1 cm pieces

150 g green beans cut into 1 cm pieces

Butter

To serve: pickled onions, cornichons, toasted rye bread, baby cos leaves

 

Preheat the oven 170C-180C

Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl with the chicken mince, add the mashed garlic, thyme leaves and zest. Add the salt and pepper and mix well. Take a small piece of the mixture and cook to taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.

Add the pistachio. Boil 2 litres salted water and blanch the peas and beans until just cooked, and the asparagus for 1 minute. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain thoroughly. Add to the chicken mixture and mix together.

Thoroughly butter a narrow terrine 20 x 8 cm. Carefully line the bottom and sides of the terrine with chicken skin, draping it over the edge, patch up any holes if necessary. Pack chicken mixture into terrine, pressing it flat.  Fold the top skin to wrap completely.

 

Put the terrine in a deep baking pan and add boiling water to reach two-thirds of the depth of the terrine. Cover tightly with buttered alfoil and bake for 1 hour.

 

Remove from the oven. Tip out the water and set the terrine back in the pan. While still warm, cut a piece of heavy cardboard to fit the dimensions of the top of the terrine. Put this on top and weigh down with heavy cans. When cool, refrigerate overnight, still with the weights on top.

 

Unmould onto a serving platter and serve in slices.