Chicken and Lemon Terrine

This was a joint project for me as I have a friend who enjoys trying new projects and techniques as much as I do.

The recipe is time-consuming and somewhat labor-intensive but not really difficult. And the sense of accomplishment -- along with the tasty end result -- make it all worthwhile.

The recipe called for chicken, chicken livers, pork belly, bacon, and ground veal. We replaced the veal with ground pork but otherwise followed the recipe.

We then ground and mixed the meat and other ingredients (including spices, eggs, lemon, and brandy), then layered the ground meat and sliced chicken in a bacon-lined terrine. It was then baked 2.5-3 hours, cooled to room temperature, and placed in the fridge overnight.

When unmolded and sliced, the terrine was very pretty and the flavor was lovely. I'd been a little concerned that lemon might throw things off a bit (I have been known to have a heavy hand with lemon), but it turned out to be exactly right. Served with a baguette, some cornichons and a well-chilled French white. Also a side salad with arugula, apples and blue cheese and a vinaigrette made with honey, honey mustard, golden balsamic vinegar, and EVOO.

Every single thing about this recipe was fun, from the shopping to the cooking to the eating. A real learning experience as well.