This terrine combines the richness of the duck, the moist addition of liver and pork and the zestiness of dried cranberries and oranges; the whole harmonized by the Port.

This recipe is in several steps that take a total of 3 days but will make a terrine that can be served as a delicate appetizer all through the holidays, since it will keep up to 5 days if cooled properly and if it lasts that long.

A note on equipment: This recipe also requires some equipment but if you ever wanted to try making pâtés or terrines, go for it, it’s worth the reward! You will need a meat grinder and a terrine form or a bread form and a foil-covered brick or stones that the exactly fit the bread form on top for weighting during the cooling process.

Ingredients:

Day 1:

• 1whole duck, approx 1 kilo
• 300 grams pork belly deboned and with the skin cut off
• 1/3 cup of Porto
• 2 TBSP of orange liquor such as Triple Sec
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stems removed and chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed and chopped

Day 2:

• 150 grams white bacon speck (called flab), cubed
• 250 grams chicken, goose or duck livers
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 125 grams of sliced bacon
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 whole egg and 1 egg white
• ¼ cup of very dry breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup of dried cranberries, chopped
• 20 grams of chopped pistachios

Putting it all together:

Day 1:

• Wash the duck and pat dry. Place the duck on a cutting board and start by removing the 2 duck breasts. Cut each breast into 2 or 3 strips depending on their size so that you have at least 4 duck breast filets. Place them in a covered container and put them into the fridge until the next day. Now remove as much of the other meat as possible.
• Chop the meat as you go along into similar sized pieces and place the meat free of skin, sinew and bones in a chilled metal bowl.
• Put the bones and the carcass into a soup pot to make stock with it later. (Add the neck, carrots, leeks, onions, cloves, herbs and spices such as lemon grass and ginger along with water and boil for approx. 2 hours. Strain, cool, skim off the fat and use or freeze as needed)
• Cut the pork belly into pieces that are similar in size to the duck pieces and place them in the bowl with the duck meat.
• Add the Port, orange liquor, chopped rosemary and thyme, the salt and pepper, the bay leaf and the ground cloves. Mix, cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.

Day 2:

• The next day, bring out your meat grinder and a low bowl or flat plastic container, fill it with ice cubes and place a bowl to catch the ground meat directly into it the ice.
• Have your next ingredients on the counter: the chopped liver, the onion, the cubed pork fat. Have the breadcrumbs and the lightly beaten eggs ready.
• Line the bread pan or terrine with the bacon strips letting the slices overlap the sides, alternating the overlapping side on each side until the “long side” is coated. You will fold the overlapping bacon over the farce after you have filled the terrine. Cut a slice of bacon into 4 pieces and use the pieces to cover the insides of the short ends, it doesn’t need to fit exactly or overlap.
• Having put your meat grinder together and placed the iced bowl so as to gather the ground meat, remove your marinated meat and add the livers, pork fat and the chopped onion. Stir and grind once through the machine on low with the medium fine grinder plate.
• When all has been ground leave the bowl resting in the ice and add the breadcrumbs and the egg along with 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well with a fork or your hands. Let sit.
• Now remove the duck breast filets from the container, pat them dry. On a plate mix the chopped cranberries and the pistachios along with ½ tsp of fine salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Roll the filets in this mixture to coat and set aside. Add the leftover mixture to the meat mixture and stir.
• Fill the terrine to a third with the meat mixture. Now place the duck filets in the middle of the ground mixture so that the filets are not touching the sides but are in the mixture. Fill in with the rest of the ground meat mixture, place 3-4 peeled half slices of organic oranges on top and fold the overlapping bacon over the mixture. Place the cover on top or cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• If you have ground meat and duck fillet left over, make a few small round terrines in ramekins, placing bacon in the bottom and cover them in foil. They are a nice giveaway when cooked.
• Place the terrine in a “bain marie” (a casserole dish filled 2/3 with warm water. Put it in the oven at 160 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes – if using, add the ramekins half way through. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and test if the terrines are done by uncovering and pressing on top of the terrine with your finger or a spoon, if the juices are clear the baking is finished, if the juices are still red return and bake at least 15 minutes longer. Repeat testing process if necessary.
• Remove the terrine from the oven, cover with the stones or bricks. When it/they are cooled completely place them with the weights in the fridge overnight. This will pack them firm and make the juices form a lovely jelly in and around the terrine.

Day 3:

• Remove the terrine from the fridge and unpack it.
• Carefully turn out the terrine on a board and remove the bacon, taking care to keep the terrine in form and not break it.
• Place onto a rectangular serving dish decorated with orange slices and serve with cranberry relish and seed mustard and little “cornichons” if you like them.
• If you are serving a small crowd and want to use the terrine on several days only slice what you will need and present it, returning the rest to keep cool in the fridge until needed.