Rabbit and pistachio terrine

Australian Gourmet Traveller and Jeremy and Jane Strode from Bistrode French entree recipe for rabbit and pistachio terrine

A terrine may seem daunting but really is worth the effort. It can be made a week in advance.

Ingredients

2 farmed white rabbits (about 1.2kg each), boned (see note)

200 gm pork belly, coarsely minced

200 gm veal shoulder, coarsely minced

100 gm pork fat, cut into 1cm dice and blanched

150 gm pistachios, blanched and peeled

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ bunch thyme, leaves picked

500 gm thinly sliced smoked streaky bacon

To serve: gherkins and crusty bread

Method

Main

1.Set aside rabbit loins and cut leg meat into 1cm dice and combine with pork, veal, pork fat and pistachios in a large bowl and set aside.

2.Heat olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add thyme and remove from heat. Cool slightly, add to meat mixture and mix to combine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.

3.Preheat oven to 150C. Line a 11cm x 30cm, 2-litre capacity terrine mould with bacon, overlapping each slice and allowing slices to overhang edge by about 4cm. Place one-third of the meat mixture in the terrine, then place two loins on top and repeat. Fill mould with remaining meat mixture and fold over bacon to enclose. Cover with foil and place in a paper towel-lined roasting tray. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides of mould and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight, using weights to press the terrine.

4.To serve, dip terrine mould in hot water for 2-3 minutes, remove foil and invert onto a chopping board. Slice and serve at room temperature with gherkins and crusty bread.