Game terrine

This terrine is made with springbuck backstrap, yellow-billed duck breast and gemsbuck liver. – BY LESLIE VAN DER MERWE

 

Terrines are truly delicious and are as varied and exotic as what you have in your freezer. Combinations of various antelope, with added gamebirds, make every slice an adventure.

Of course you can also just use one species if you prefer. The rectangular loaf pan I use is 24cm x 17cm x 7cm and has a volume of approximately 1.5 litres. Adjust the ingredient amounts according to the size of your loaf pan.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g rindless streaky bacon, flattened and stretched out with the back of a knife
• 800g pork mince
• 1/3 cup gemsbuck liver, chopped (chicken liver can be used)
• 200g springbuck backstrap, sliced lengthwise into finger-thick strips
• 2 yellow-billed duck breasts, sliced lengthwise in half
• 2 knobs butter
• 100g pistachio nuts
• 100g dried cranberries, soaked in brandy
• 2 tbspn breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 6 juniper berries
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• Salt and pepper
• Non-stick cooking spray

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 110°C.
2. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Place the butter in a hot frying pan, and lightly brown the backstrap. Be careful not to cook it beyond medium rare.
4. Remove the skin from the duck breasts, and while browning the breasts, fry the skin to render any fat. Again, don’t cook beyond medium rare.
5. Set aside the backstrap and the duck breasts to cool completely, discarding the skin.
6. Crush the juniper berries, and chop together with the garlic.
7. In a mixing bowl add the pork mince, liver, garlic and juniper berry mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, pistachio nuts and cranberries, adding an extra splash of brandy.
8. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Mix well. Set aside for the ingredients to get acquainted.
9. Line the loaf pan with the bacon, overlapping the slices down the centre of the pan and leaving the ends hanging over the sides.
10. Place a layer of the mince mixture in the pan, ensuring that you push it right into the corners of the pan, and press down to remove air pockets.
11. Add half of the backstrap and the duck breasts, running lengthwise down the pan.
12. Add a thin layer of mince, then add the remaining backstrap and duck breasts followed by the last layer of mince.
13. Smooth and fold the bacon strips over the mince.
14. Cover with a layer of foil.
15. Place the loaf pan in a roasting pan with sufficient water to reach halfway up its side.
16. Remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 60°C, after approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.
17. Cut a piece of cardboard that fits inside the top of the loaf pan, trimming the corners as necessary, and then cover the cardboard with tinfoil.
18. Place this on top of the terrine, adding several large cans of tomatoes, or whatever you have as a weight, to press and firm the terrine.
19. When cool, ease the terrine from the pan, using a thin knife if necessary.
20. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Slice thick, and serve as a starter or a snack, with good mustard and a glass of chilled white wine.

SOUTH AFRICA GAMEBIRD RECIPES BY LESLIE VAN DER MERWE

E-mail Leslie at lesliej375@outlook.com.

Web: www.gamechef.co.za.

(This recipe was published in the November/December 2021 edition of ManMAGNUM.)

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