Tuesday 13 November 2012

Gluten Free Coarse Pork and Mushroom Pate

pork mushroom pate
Mushroom and Pork Pate
The next time I make this I'm going to mince the meat rather than blend it. I personally prefer a smooth pate rather than coarse but I was so focused on getting the flavours right that it didn't occur to me at the time. That's all I'd do differently in terms of method, for a first attempt at making pate I pretty much nailed it.

I've been enjoying this so much that I'm yet to actually spread it on anything.

For around 6 servings.

Ingredients:

200g Pork Belly Strips
70g Smoked Streaky Bacon
70g Liver
4 Shallots
6 Forestiere Mushrooms
20g Garlic Butter
Splash of Dry White Wine
Generous Pinch of Salt

Directions:
  • Pre-heat your oven to 150C
  • Take the pork belly and bacon from the fridge and leave to warm to room temperature (this makes it easier to blend)
pork belly strips
Belly Strips
streaky bacon
Streaky Bacon Rashers
  • Cut into pieces and put into the blender
pork belly strips bacon
Lots of Pork
  • Blend until broken down into a paste
pork pate blended
Pork Paste
  • Depending on the size of your blender you may have to repeat this step a couple of times
  • Put into a container
  • Take the liver from the fridge put into the blender and make a paste
  • Add to the pork paste and mix
pork pate liver
Blended Pork and Liver
  • Peel and Finely chop the shallots
  • Cut the mushrooms into slices
  • Melt garlic butter in a pan, add the shallots
  • Once the shallots are soft add the mushrooms
  • Once the mushrooms soften add a good splash of dry white wine and cook until most is absorbed
  • Add a good pinch of salt
  • Take of the heat and leave to cool
mushrooms onions
Amazing Flavours
  • Once the mushrooms and shallots have cooled add to the pork and liver paste
  • Mix thoroughly
  • Put the mixture in a terrine or loaf tin and press down with a fork
raw pork mushroom pate
Raw Pork and Mushroom Pate
  • Place the terrine or loaf tin in a large baking tray and half fill the tray with warm water to make a bain marie
pork pate bain marie
Just Prior To The Water Being Added
  • Put into the oven and cook for 1 hour
  • Once cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool
cooked pork pate
See How It's Shrunk?

pork pate just out of the oven
In Better Light
  • Put in the fridge until the jelly forms (2 hours minimum)
  • Turn the terrine or loaf tin upside down and ease the pate out onto a chopping board
pork mushroom pate
Why's It A Funny Shape?
Printable Version

To determine whether this was going to be a recipe or experiment post I kind of taste tested last night while it was still in the terrine. I figured that I could cheat and cut off any evidence leaving straight sides, but I didn't expect it to be quite as coarse as it is. This needs to be served in chunks opposed to slices, my attempts at slicing were fruitless.

Have to say, though I would prefer this as a smooth pate, the flavour is amazing, I don't think I'd change much, if anything with regards to the flavour.

A couple of things went wrong when making this. As an absolute novice at making pate I needed a basic guide for the pork and liver ratios, so I used this one by Delia. Yesterday morning I got what I thought was pork mince out of the freezer, once defrosted it tuned out that it was pork shoulder, so I had to have a rethink. Pork shoulder is way too lean for pate in my opinion.

Instead of the mince I doubled my quantity of belly strips. These definitely give more flavour than mince would have but next time I'll find ones that are leaner than those I used here. It's just a little too fatty for my intolerant stomach to cope with. 

Another thing was that I intended to use garlic but in my flustering I forgot. I probably would add it next time just to see how it differs but it definitely doesn't need it. 

I think what makes this pate taste so good is the mixture of the shallots, wine and mushrooms. I've never used Forestiere Mushrooms before this recipe but I have to say, best mushrooms I've ever tasted.

forestiere mushrooms
Super Earthy
I find the flavour of Forestiere Mushroom similar in strength to some dried mushrooms, it's really earthy and strong, I'm looking forward to experimenting more with these.

I'm more than happy with my first attempt at making pate, now I know how easy it is I'll definitely be making a smooth version.

As for the rogue pork shoulder, I'm currently cooking a pulled pork chilli, a new take on my old classic. It smells amazing!

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