Every year I attend a Christmas party at the home of family friends. The hosts have been wonderful friends for a long time, and I've been attending this party for the past 25 years. They finally let me out of the kids' room a few years ago, and ever since then I've been partaking in some of the most wonderful Christmas food traditions. Rich creamy Egg Nog in a silver punch bowl, sweet potato biscuits and yeast rolls with country ham and turkey, homemade mayonnaise, oyster dip, spinach artichoke dip, a round of Stilton bigger than your head, Brie en Croute, smoked Salmon and ... French Country Paté.
Pâté de Campagne, French Country Pâté, is a fulled cooked porcine treat, a pilgrimage (PIG-rimage?) for meat lovers all over the world. When was the last time you consumed an hors d'ourve with three different varieties of the same beast lovingly incorporated? It is so decadent, so savory and so French. It is elegant and rustic at the same time, a delicate balancing act. You must respect this loaf of meat.
In a recent issue of Bon Appetít, Molly Wizenburg wrote a ode to the Country Paté that deeply resonated with me. What is it about paté, that smorgasboard of meat, the richly fatty treat that makes carnivores slobber in their sleep? A chicken liver paté, or a country paté- or even down to the basic purity of foi gras (and the same earthy essence) is a rare treat. This is why, when faced with a recipe resembling the exact pate de campagne of the cherished Christmas Eve Party, I knew I must recreate it for New Years 2009. We've had a long year y'all. It was fitting that the new year begin with an especially feasty dinner party to shake off the stench of (economic) failure and usher in a fresh start.
I made this paté for a group of friends whom I felt would surely appreciate it- and boy, did they! Slather a slab of this pâté on some baguette with a little dijon and accompany with a cornichon. Heavenly!
The following is Molly Wizenburg's recipe from Bon Appetít (January 2009), with my own commentary. Enjoy!
Pâté de Campagne (Country Pâté)
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Cognac (I used Brandy, for cost reasons. I'm sure it made no difference)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup minced onion (mince this up good, don't be lazy- it should be fine like the minced garlic you buy in the jar)
2 1/2 pounds ground pork (I used 2 lb and did not change any other measurements. It was perfect)
12 oz bacon (8 to 10 slices), finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices (for lining pan)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 6-ounce piece ham steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
ADDITIONAL:
Coarse sea salt
Cornichons
Dijon mustard
Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Boil Cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. The Cognac (or Brandy) will appear slightly more syrupy at this point. Cool completely.
Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add those minced up onions and sauté until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.
Combine ground pork and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips (I just reached right in there and mixed it around. It's natural.), mix together until well blended. Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, and pepper to bowl with pork mixture and stir until incorporated (I used a spoons for this portion). Add eggs, cream, and reduced Cognac. Stir until well blended.
Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. I actually used less bacon than recommended here, based upon the size of the strips I was using. Just make sure that all metal parts of the pan are covered and that you've maintained some semblance of neat bacon overlap (it will matter in the ultimate appearance).
SPECIAL TRICK: Following the lead of whoever makes the fantastic Christmas Eve Paté, I created a nifty little design with sage and thyme. Simply arrange the herbs in an aesthetically pleasing way and layer bacon over it gently, and press down.
Now, using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange ham strips over in single layer. Top with remaining meat mixture. Don't be scared at the amount of meat, just make sure the bacon covers it. The meat will be higher than the rims of the pan at this point, but that's ok.
Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté. They will naturally overlap, but may leave some space. I saved one piece of bacon to cover any place where the bacon didn't meet in the middle. Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes. It took about 20 min more for mine, this may be because of the inconsistent nature of my oven.
Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. This is where the meat overflow is taken care of, it's pure magic. Chill overnight. Can be made 4 days ahead.
TO FINISH:Place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. Cut pâté crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
Serve with cornichons, coarse kosher salt, dijon mustard and baguettes. Smile, be happy.
