Ingredients

• 350g/12oz venison fillet
• cut into 2cm/¾in-wide strips
• 350g/12oz chicken livers
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp Armagnac
• 550g/1lb 4oz dry cured smoked streaky bacon
• 300g/10½oz skinless boneless chicken breasts
• roughly chopped
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 50g/1¾oz toasted chopped hazelnuts
• 50g/1¾oz dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Season the venison and chicken livers with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the venison strips
• in batches
• and cook for 30 seconds
• stirring regularly
• until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining venison strips.
• Add the butter to the pan and seal the chicken livers in the same way
• until browned on the outside and just pink in the middle. Standing well back and protecting your forearms
• pour the Armagnac over the chicken livers and set it alight with a match. Allow the flames to flare up and die down
• then set the chicken livers aside in the pan to cool.
• Meanwhile
• line the base and sides of a 1kg/2lb 4oz loaf tin with the bacon rashers
• overlapping the edges and leaving a 5cm/2in overhang around the rim.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Blend the chicken breast pieces to a fine purée in a food processor. Pour in the double cream and blend again until well combined. Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then transfer to a bowl and fold in the hazelnuts and cranberries.
• Scoop one-third of the chicken mixture into the prepared loaf tin
• smoothing it into an even layer using a palette knife. Top with the venison strips. Spread over half of the remaining chicken mixture in an even layer
• then sprinkle over the tarragon leaves
• flambéed chicken livers and the pan juices. Top with the remaining chicken mixture
• then fold the overhanging bacon over the top of the terrine to completely cover.
• Brush a piece of aluminium foil with oil and cover the tin with it
• sealing tightly around the edges. Place the loaf tin in a deep-sided roasting tray. Pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf tin
• then carefully transfer the roasting tray to the oven and cook for 1¼–1½ hours
• or until the terrine is cooked through. (To check that the terrine is cooked through
• insert a skewer into the centre
• then carefully touch it. If the skewer feels piping hot
• the terrine is cooked through. If not
• return it to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes
• then check again.)
• Remove the terrine from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the bain-marie. Remove from the bain-marie and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
• or until needed.
• To serve
• remove the aluminium foil
• then turn out the terrine onto a serving plate. Cut into thick slices and serve with gherkins
• pickles and crusty bread or toast.