If you want to impress with your culinary skills I always feel that a terrine gives good bang for your buck.  The perfect terrine is not so much difficult as time consuming to set and therefore in this world of instant gratification many just can’t be bothered attempting to make one.  When a terrine is turned out onto a plate it is always very impressive with its layers of colour and uniform shape.  It is a fabulous picnic food but also works well as a starter or summer lunch dish.  A few slices of fish, chicken or duck terrine served on a bed of greens with some crusty bread creates a very satisfying meal.   It has many advantages; you can make in advance and it will hold for about a week in the fridge, so you don’t have to eat it all at once.

As with most popular restaurant-y foods that are considered sophisticated, terrines began life as humble French peasant food.  They were a way of using up leftovers and preserving meat.  They provided a hearty meal, could be eaten cold, were handy for transporting in lunch boxes and had a long shelf life.  It was ideal food for French labourers and was perfected by the ordinary French housewife long before chefs got hold of it.  Because of its origins there are thousands of different terrine recipes and once the basics have been grasped, it is also an easy dish to adapt and make your own so feel free to experiment.

I always feel terrine of anything is quite an adult dish and sometimes you have to develop a taste for it.  It can be heavily textured and chunky or smooth and spreadable like many pates.  It can have a mild taste or be quite spicy, herby, meaty and earthy.  Game pate and terrines are, in my view, a particular acquired taste but once you find the T-spot as I like to call it, you won’t look back.  Regular readers will know that I also like to bring my own twist to things and so I have adapted the idea of the terrine to work for accompaniments and desserts as well as being the main event.

While the word terrine is associated with the food it is also the name of the vessel used to create it.  A terrine is a long, relatively shallow, glazed earthenware dish, sometimes covered, but if you have a loaf tin it will work just as well.  The other thing to remember with terrines is that you are working upside down.  When the terrine is turned out what you put in first will be on the top, rather like an upside down cake.  We also want our terrines to be relatively solid so that they will slice well and not disintegrate disappointingly at the mere look of a knife.

So let’s start with an easy one. For a great salad accompaniment and one that makes the buffet table pop, how about a ridiculously easy beetroot jelly terrine.  Lightly spray a loaf tin with oil or line it with cling film.  Take a jar of beetroot and drain.  Line the loaf tin with the beetroot and then make up three quarters of a pint of blackcurrant jelly, with a full 1 pint jelly.  Pour it over the beetroot and leave in the fridge to set overnight.  When you turn this purple wonder out onto a plate it is like a gloriously big shiny jewel in the centre of your buffet spread. (Or you could tell the kids it’s a liquidised Barney; the fantasy of parents everywhere!  I’m just teasing, Barney is great and I have no wish to hurt an inch of his royal purpleness!)   This terrine slices easy and the sweet jelly sets off the beetroot really well as a salad dish.

The same principle can be used with summer fruits and other fruit jelly for a great fresh dessert.  I find the frozen berries work really well for this, but fresh raspberries and strawberries are equally as good.  A few slices of kiwi and grapes also add colour.  Just pour the bag of defrosted berries into the base of the loaf tin or the chopped fresh fruit.  Again make up three quarters of a pint of jelly and pour over the fruit and allow it to set.  By using less water in the jelly the terrines will be less wobbly and will create more solid slices.

When it comes to meat terrines it is all about flavour and making sure you give yourself time to let it all develop.  Some recipes require that you marinate the meat mixture in a wine and herb mixture for at least a day before you cook it.  After cooking there is also the pressing of the terrine to create the solid loaf which can take, in some recipes, another 48 hours.  So you see this is where the time comes in.  You can also be very creative with terrines.  Elegant French restaurants layer herbs decoratively in the meat or put surprises in the centre to create that interesting wow factor when it is sliced.  Traditionally, less expensive meats such as fatty pork or wild game birds such as grouse and partridge were used but these days restaurants are likely to use duck, goose and even fish.  I recently enjoyed a lobster and whiskey terrine as a starter and it was delicious.  Some cooks use chicken and vegetables or even cheese in their terrines.  Finally terrines are usually cooked in a bain-marie.  This is where the loaf tin is put into a roasting tray and hot water (but not boiling) is added around the loaf tin, about half way up.  This keeps the loaf cooking consistently all the way through.

Below is a recipe by Shannon Bennett that I found in his great book My French Vue.  I’ve used this recipe countless times and it always works out well.  If it’s your first attempt then stick to the ingredient list but as you gain more confidence you can always adapt the ingredients according to taste or, indeed, whim. 

 Chicken Terrine

600g (1lb 5oz) chicken thigh meat, diced

400g (14 oz) chicken breast, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt (I always use Maldon)

2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon

200g (7oz) chorizo sausage, diced

2 tablespoons goose fat

Freshly ground black pepper

12 slices smoked bacon rashers, rind removed.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160 C

Combine the diced and minced chicken, shallots, garlic, salt, tarragon, chorizo and goose fat in a bowl.

Mix by hand until fully combined.  Season with pepper.

 Arrange the bacon slices in a terrine mould (loaf tin) about 2 pints (1 litre) capacity, covering the bottom of the mould evenly, with the ends of the slices hanging over the edges.  Put the chicken mix into the mould and pack down using your hands.  Fold over the bacon and press it down tightly.

Cover with tin foil.  Put the mould into a roasting tray and add water to reach halfway up the side of the mould.  Put in the oven to cook for 80 minutes.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool.  Put into the fridge with a heavy weight on top of the foil and leave for 24 hours.  Turn out, slice and serve with crusty bread.