Pork, Spinach and Herb Terrine

THIS terrine tastes different each time we make it, depending on the variety of herbs used.

It should be highly seasoned before it is cooked otherwise it may taste bland when cold. Use organically produced spinach, meat and herbs if possible.

Serves approximately 20 as a starter, 10 as a main course — makes two loaves of patê

1½lb (675g) spinach (weight after large stalk is removed)

½oz (15g) butter 8oz (225g)

medium onion, finely chopped 2lb (900g)

fat streaky pork 8oz (225g)

pig’s liver 6oz (170g)

smoked lean bacon 6oz (170g)

unsmoked streaky bacon

2 medium cloves of garlic, crushed

2 free-range eggs

Salt, freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg to taste

4 tbsp approx freshly chopped herbs — rosemary, thyme, basil, marjoram, parsley and chives

2 terrines, 7½ x 5½ inch (19 x 13.5cm) or two 8 x 4 inch (20.5 x 10cm) loaf tins

Mince the meat.

String the spinach leaves, wash and drain. Put into a heavy saucepan on a very low heat, season and cover tightly. After a few minutes, stir and replace the lid. As soon as the spinach is cooked (5 – 8 mins approx), strain off the copious amount of liquid that spinach releases and press until dry. Chop the spinach, allow to get cold.

Melt the butter on a gentle heat, add the finely chopped onions and sweat until soft but not coloured. Allow to cool.

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly in a large bowl. Season generously with freshly ground pepper and nutmeg. Fry a tiny piece of the mixture on a pan.

Taste and correct seasoning and add salt if necessary. It should taste quite highly seasoned.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.

Divide the mixture between the two terrines or loaf tins, cover with lids or tin foil.

Bake for 1 hour approx in the preheated oven. Remove the cover about 15 minutes before the end of cooking time to allow the top to brown slightly.

Serve warm or cold.

Serving suggestions:

When we serve this on a buffet we put the whole terrine on a bed of crisp and curly lettuces and salad leaves on a timber board. Then we tuck in a few sprigs of the herbs included in the terrine, preferably in flower — pale grey sage with purply-blue flowers, little branches of thyme leaves, some tarragon, flat parsley and perhaps a few chive flowers when they are in season.

The terrine looks wonderfully appetising as it is, but also looks great wrapped in blanched spinach leaves as an alternative presentation.

For plate presentation, put a generous ¼inch thick slice of terrine on a main course plate, a little green salad of lettuces and tender leaves, a spoonful of both onion marmalade and beetroot relish and perhaps a little cucumber salad.

Serve with warm, crusty white bread.