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As a child I always liked\u00a0Christmas celebrations but only because of the presents. When it came to food, Easter was my happiest festive time. Contrary to Polish fish-centred and vegetarian Christmas, Easter menus offered a bigger choice\u00a0of dishes, including crazy amounts of eggs to indulge in (even when they were still considered\u00a0unhealthy…)\u00a0and\u00a0homemade cold meats, p\u00e2t\u00e9s or\u00a0terrines. The approaching\u00a0Easter is\u00a0the perfect excuse to make my beloved chicken\u00a0terrine\u00a0I have recently modified by the addition of green peppercorns.<\/p>\n
If you know French-style p\u00e2t\u00e9s or terrines, I must explain how this Polish product differs from them, especially since French terms are used in English. First of all, both French p\u00e2t\u00e9s and meat terrines are usually made with raw meat, while Polish terrine is baked with precooked meats. Another difference is the texture: while French products have a harsh texture (terrines have even very big chunks), Polish terrines are very smooth because everything is\u00a0mixed or finely ground before being baked.\u00a0Seasonings vary between cooks, but nutmeg is almost always present and its smell during the baking process always puts me in a festive mood.<\/p>\n
I always hesitate about\u00a0the name I should give this Polish product, but I think\u00a0the chicken version should be called “terrine”, since I’ve never see chicken p\u00e2t\u00e9s apart from those baked in pastry crust (“p\u00e2t\u00e9 en cro\u00fbte”). To be frank, the\u00a0difference between French “p\u00e2t\u00e9” and “terrine” is quite blurry and even though there are some “strict” cases, one butcher can name “terrine” what another one labels as “p\u00e2t\u00e9”. I\u00a0must add here that, contrary to what is thought abroad, only\u00a0a minority of French p\u00e2t\u00e9s are\u00a0made exclusively with liver, acting usually as\u00a0secondary ingredient; most people are actually not fond\u00a0of 100% liver p\u00e2t\u00e9s and these are always called “p\u00e2t\u00e9 de foie” to differentiate them from “normal” p\u00e2t\u00e9s\u00a0(obviously, foie gras terrine is the exception, but it’s never called “p\u00e2t\u00e9” anyway).\u00a0\u201cTerrine\u201d is a very similar product, but with a broader meaning: apart from meat or\/and liver, it can also be made with fish, seafood, vegetables or even fruit or chocolate (when served as a dessert). Terrine is usually\u00a0prepared\u00a0in a rectangular dish (called… “terrine”) and can be very light if made with seafood\u00a0or chicken (for example “bound together” with jelly instead of fat or simply pressed).<\/p>\n
Going back to the Polish terrine, I have been modifying my mum’s recipe\u00a0for years and nowadays I usually prepare my terrine with chicken. \u00a0Shopping is easier and the result is lighter, so I can indulge in it without remorses. I have already posted here<\/a> the basic poultry terrine recipe and this one is almost identical apart from the addition of pickled green peppercorns, which add a spicy kick. I have been eating French duck terrines and pork p\u00e2t\u00e9s with green peppercorns for years, hence my idea to spice up the Polish terrine the same way.<\/p>\n The preparation is long, but very simple. Once it has cooled down, the p\u00e2t\u00e9\/terrine can be kept in the fridge for about one week or frozen until the day we want to use it, so if you make it for a bigger family, it’s worth preparing a double or triple batch. It can be served as a starter, as a snack, on small canap\u00e9s or crackers and it goes particularly well with all kinds of pickles (pepper, chilli, gherkins, onions, beetroots and even kimchi!) and cranberry or bilberry jam\/sauce. Personally I love it with a fiery horseradish sauce and\/or my\u00a0Pickled Sweet Peppers<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you don’t like green peppercorns, you might like this basic milder version:<\/p>\n
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