Luxury Meat Terrine with Cabbage Avocado Slaw

Yes, Luxury Meat Terrine. Or 'Posh Meat Loaf' as I also like to call it. This is really quite special and happens to be something I don't cook very often. It has chicken, duck, pork sausage meat and pork tenderloin in it and is just so, so special. I sometimes leave the pork tenderloin out if I am feeling a bit thrifty, but with that extra texture, it just works that little bit better. And the leftover pork tenderloin is great for so many other recipes like my American Pork & Beans (recipe here).

This is an impressive looking and tasty dish that can be made 'winter' served hot with roasted potatoes, veg and a nice thin chicken gravy from the juices OR can also be a 'summer' dish served with pickles, salad and a crisp white wine in the garden. Either way it is a dish to impress! I have always, in the past, made this a hot dish but this time I am serving it the latter. Room temperature Luxury Meat Terrine with chutney, Spanish padron chillies and home-made slaw of red & white cabbage, lime and avocado dressing.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast, skin removed
1 small duck breast, skin removed
100g piece of pork tenderloin (optional)
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 tbsp. brandy
1 tsp. dried thyme
hefty pinch black pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
250g pack streaky bacon
1 pack good quality pork sausages (400g)
1 tbsp. hot creamed horseradish
100ml double cream
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley


Method:

Slice the chicken and duck breasts into a mix of thin strips and 1cm dice. Cut the pork tenderloin the same (if using) and add the meats to a bowl. Measure 2 tbsp. brandy into the bowl along with the thyme, chopped garlic and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour to marinade (you can leave longer).

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the chopped meats for about 7-8 minutes until cooked and leave to cool. Using a loaf tin, arrange the strips of bacon so that they cover the bottom and overhang the sides (see picture).

Set the oven to 180 C. Slit the skins on the sausages and put the sausage meat into a bowl along with the cream and horseradish. Mash together and then add the cooled, cooked meats. Combine well and add the parsley. Spoon the meat mixture into the loaf tin and wrap the overhanging bacon over the top.

Wrap the whole thing in a double layer of kitchen foil and place into a roasting tin. Pour water so it comes halfway up the tin and place into the pre heated oven for one hour. Press the top to ensure the meat feels firm. 

Then remove the tin from the oven, take out of the water bath and pull back the foil. Put back in the oven for a further 10 minutes to brown the bacon on top. Remove from the oven and drain the juice, reserving for gravy if needed. Either slice hot or leave to cool to have with a lovely creamy coleslaw and some pickles. Delicious!

For the slaw:

1/4 red cabbage
1/4 white cabbage
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. white vinegar
3 spring onions, chopped
1 avocado
4 tbsp. mayonnaise
pepper

Shed the cabbages as thinly as you can and put into a sieve over a bowl. Add the sugar, salt & vinegar and mix through. Leave for an hour to soften.

Push the excess water out of the cabbage and put into a clean bowl. Add the spring onions. In a small bowl, crush the avocado and mix in with the mayonnaise. Stir into the cabbage and onion mix and add a little ground pepper. Serve with the meatloaf. Lovely!