Ingredients

• 1 x 1.4kg/3lb chicken
• flesh removed and chopped
• skin and bones discarded
• 110g/4oz unsmoked ham
• chopped
• 300g/11oz pork shoulder
• chopped
• 300g/11oz veal rump
• chopped
• 300ml/11fl oz double cream
• very cold
• 1 free-range egg
• 75ml/3fl oz Armagnac or Cognac (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 200ml/7fl oz dry white wine
• 3 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 100g/4oz butter
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 x 250g/9oz chicken breast
• sliced into 1cm/½in strips
• 250g/9oz pork back fat (available from your butcher)
• finely sliced
• 1 loaf crusty bread
• sliced
• toasted

Directions

• Mince the chicken
• ham
• pork and veal twice in a mincer using a medium-sized mincer blade disc. Alternatively
• chop the meat into tiny pieces with a sharp knife.
• Put the minced meat into a well-chilled bowl
• set on a larger bowl of ice and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Stir in the cream
• egg
• Armagnac or Cognac (if using)
• thyme and white wine until well combined.
• Add the salt and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. This is called the farce.
• Heat 40g/1½oz of the butter in a small saucepan and fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes
• then set aside to cool. Stir in the herbs.
• Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan and remove from the heat.
• Dip the chicken breast strips in the melted butter
• then dip in the shallot and herb mixture until well coated. Set aside on a plate.
• Line the terrines with strips of pork fat.
• Spread half of the farce in the bottom of the terrines
• then add a layer of chicken breast strips
• top with the remaining farce
• then more slices of pork fat.
• Cover with the lid and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Place the terrines into a large baking tray and half-fill the baking tray with boiling water.
• Cook the terrines for 30 minutes uncovered
• then cover with the lids and cook for a further 15 minutes.
• Remove the terrines from the oven
• remove the lids and place a weighted board (maximum weight 250g/9oz) onto the terrines to compress them gently until they have completely cooled. Leave to chill in the fridge.
• Serve with toasted crusty bread.