Daring Cooks' challenge June: Pâtés and bread

This month the Daring Cooks' challenge has turned out pro-French and I found it's been an excellent proposal, although in reality there were two challenges in one. It so happens that I had recently attempted a campagne-style pâté with a not-so-satisfactory result, so it was a good opportunity to undertake a tried and tested recipe and use a surplus of pork liver that I keep in the freezer since January... And the experience has been a success... I'm still licking my lips.


Being that I always tend to be unruly and disobedient I didn't exactly make baguettes, and I added raisins, which I think divinely combine with pâtés and foie. The possibilities of pâté offered were varied, including vegetarian options. I chose the most genuine, the pig's liver pâté. I also introduced some changes in the paté quantities, but the ingredients are the same.

Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of a The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.



Three Spice Liver Pâté
For a 25 x 12,5 cm loaf or pan

• 350g pork liver (454g in the original recipe, but I was afraid that the liver taste would be overwhelming)
  
• 350g minced pork meat (227g in the original recipe)
  
• 250g Ibérico pork lard (227g in the original recipe)
  
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 shallots
• 1 whole egg y 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cilantro seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt (3/4 tsp in the original recipe)
  
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 2 tbsp sweet wine (cognac in the original recipe)
  
• 2 bay leafs
• 1 package bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
   
2. Cut the liver and bacon into pieces and put them in a food processor (I use my Thermomix). Process briefly.
   
3. Grind the cilantro and cumin seeds in a coffee-grinder.
   
4. Add the minced meat, the peeled garlic cloves, the diced shallots and all the spices and salt, except the peppercorns, in the processor bowl. Process till you obtain a fine puree. Add the wine, the coarsely crushed peppercorns and the eggs and mix thoroughly.
   
5. Line a loaf pan or terrine with bacon slices. Place a bay leaf on the bottom and pour the meat-liver mixture in the terrine. Smooth the surface, place another bay leaf and cover with more bacon. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
   
6. Place a deep dish in the oven and place the terrine on it. Fill with boiling water till it reaches 2/3 of the height. Bake for 1 1/4 hours.
   
7. When done, take out the pâté and leave to cool completely. I preferred to leave it to rest overnight in the fridge for the flavors to develop.

Being that I already have some practice in baking bread, I won't dedicate much attention here to the bread part of the challenge. I used this recipe, but shaped into small batards and I added a couple of handfuls of raisins, previously boiled in sweet wine. The bread was not perfect-looking, but it was delicious with the pâté. The pâté itself was quite addictive, even though I would reduce slightly the amount of cinnamon. I liked the sweet wine instead of the cognac. But I'm a real sweet-wine-geek, I would add it everywhere. If you think the amount of pâté is too much, consider that is freezes beautifully if you don't feel like eating the whole terrine in one go. I will make this recipe again, no doubt.