Raymond Blanc's ham hock terrine recipe
I simply love this rustic terrine. You will get 12 portions; it will be delicious, can be prepared 2 days in advance and will look attractive with the cut slice displaying a mosaic of vegetables, herbs and ham.
Variations:
Pigs ears or snout, cooked at the same time as the hocks can be chopped up and added to the terrine for a lovely additional texture.
The terrine can be served with a range of accompaniments, such as pickled mushrooms, sauce Gribiche or simple hot buttered French bread.
Raymond's tips:
1. Organic - If the carrots are organic, wash and clean them well and leave the skin on; by peeling you remove flavour and beneficial nutrition
2. Clarification – By using cold water and brining to the boil, this coagulates the blood and impurities which can be skimmed away, producing a much clearer stock.
3. Cooking - This should be simmered not boiled, otherwise the meat will become very tough and the broth will be very cloudy. When covering with a lid it is important to leave a gap; if the lid is on tight, the heat will accumulate and the broth will boil.
4. ph – By adding any acid to the cooking liquor you are changing the ph which in turn react with the collagen proteins within the water turning it cloudy. If this happens don’t worry it is normal. If you want a clear stock then simply omit the vinegar or lemon juice.
5. Rind and Cartilage – the common misconception is that this is a fatty part of the animal, however, they are made up mostly of protein and will give a wonderful texture to your terrine.
6. Top of the terrine – We reserve a third of the chopped meat and rind for the top part of the terrine. When the terrine is turned out, the top will become the base and this chopped mixture will provide firm support for the terrine.
7. Gelatine – Needs at least 12 hours to set at its maximum strength.
8. Cling film – This might seem like a lot of cling film, but when it comes to slicing the terrine it will give the support you need to stop the terrine from falling to pieces.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Ham hock (1 large or 2 smaller ones)
- 1 Pigs trotter, sliced down the length (optional) (will add flavour and natural gelatine)
- 2 l Water, cold
- 1 Bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 5g parsley, 2g thyme)
- 8 Black pepper corns, whole
- 1 Large carrot, cut into 4 along its length
- 2 Celery sticks, cut in half width wise
- 1 Onion, white, medium, peeled, cut into 6
- 1.5 Gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water to soften and drained
- 40 g White wine vinegar
- 35 g Parsley, flat leaf, blanched for 15 seconds and roughly chopped
- 400 ml Water
- 80 ml White wine vinegar
- 90 g Honey, clear
- 1 Thyme sprig
- 1 Bay leaf
- 6 pinches Sea salt
- 2 pinches Pepper, white, freshly ground
- 160 g Baby onion, peeled with root intact
- 100 g Carrot, peeled (*1) and cut into 3cm long sticks
- 70 g Cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1 Tarragon sprig, whole
- 60 g Gherkins, small, washed under cold water & drained
- 10 g Dill, chipped
Details
- Cuisine: French
- Recipe Type: Starter
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 720 mins
- Cooking Time: 240 mins
- Serves: 12
Step-by-step
- Cooking the meat and vegetables: Place the Ham hocks and pigs trotters in a large saucepan, cover with the cold water and bring to the boil for 1 minute, skimming to remove the impurities. (*2) Turn down to a gentle simmer, add the bouquet garni and pepper corns and cook for 3-4 hours (4 hours for large hocks), until the meat is tender enough to pull the small bone out of the meat. (*3) Add all the vegetables 45 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
- Cooking the meat and vegetables: Once the meat is cooked thoroughly, strain through a sieve over a large bowl, separating the meat from the vegetables. Stir the softened gelatine and white wine vinegar in to the cooking liquor.(*4) Reserve. You will only need 400g of cooking liquor to set the terrine, any excess can be used as a wonderful simple soup or used as a broth with noodles etc.
- Preparing the elements of the terrine: Once the ham hocks have cooled slightly, place on a large chopping board, peel the rind and fat from the hock, both will come off very easily. Slice all the fat from the rind and discard and chop the rind in to 1cm pieces (*5).
- Preparing the elements of the terrine: Flake the meat from the hock, reserving 3 large pieces following the muscles of the hock. Add the rind to the flaked meat. No additional seasoning should be necessary as the hock will have natural seasoning from its cure. Mix in the drained vegetables and chopped parsley.
- Building the terrine: Line the inside of the terrine with 2 layers of cling film for extra support, ensuring that 10cm overlaps the sides and ends of the mould to wrap the terrine in once formed. Half fill the terrine with the meat and vegetable mixture, (reserving one third of the chopped meat and rind for the top the mould), place the 3 pieces of meat end to end in the middle of the terrine, top with the remaining mixture and pour in enough of the warm cooking liquor to the level of the mixture. (*6) Lightly press so a thin layer of liquor covers the meat and vegetables. Gently fold the overhanging cling film to cover the top and place in the fridge overnight for the gelatine to set the terrine. (*7)
- For the soused vegetables: (can be kept up to two weeks in your fridge) In a large saucepan on a high heat, bring to the boil the water, vinegar, honey, thyme, bay and seasoning.
- For the soused vegetables: Add the onions and carrots and simmer gently for 20 minutes, add the cauliflower and tarragon, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Take off the heat, add the gherkins and cool as quickly as you can. Once cooled add the chopped Dill and store in airtight jars until needed.
- To Serve: Once the terrine has had time to set, gently remove from the mould and tightly wrap in two more layers of cling film so it will be easy to cut. (*8) Slice the terrine into 12 slices, laying them onto a flat serving dish, removing the cling film as you do so. To serve, place the soused vegetables in a pot, or on the side of the plate and serve with a basket of freshly toasted pain de campagne.
Also worth your attention:
More recipes from Raymond Blanc
Photo courtesy of Jean Cazals
Book - Kitchen Secrets