Name: Sly’s Pâté de Campagne
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork shoulder (or belly); 1 pound pork liver; 7 ounces onions; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped); 2 teaspoons garlic (chopped); 2 teaspoons Cognac; 1 tablespoon flour; 1 egg; 1 ounce kosher salt; 1 teaspoon pink salt #1 (see note); 1 teaspoon quatre épices; 2 teaspoons sugar; 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper; 3 bay leaves

A plate of crackers, cornichons, and a slice of Sly’s Pâté de Campagne. — Pâté pairs well with delicate cornichons. Photo: Rosminah Brown

This recipe graciously comes from James Sly, who prepares it at Sly’s Restaurant in Carpinteria. It is his small recipe, suited for a family-size quantity. Buster’s liver was approximately 2 pounds—half the liver can easily be cut away and frozen for future use.

Ingredients

2 pounds pork shoulder, or belly
1 pound pork liver
7 ounces onions
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons Cognac
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
1 ounce kosher salt
1 teaspoon pink salt #1, see note
1 teaspoon quatre épices, a four-spice mix containing white pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
3 bay leaves

Instructions

Cut the pork belly or pork shoulder and the pork liver into small pieces and chill. Also chill the grinder or food processor jar you will use to chop the meat.
Dice the onion and slowly cook over medium-low heat, removing from the heat when soft and translucent. Add the thyme and parsley to the onions and let the mixture cool.
Season the pork and liver with the garlic, cognac, flour and egg. In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, pink salt, quatre epices, sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle 3/4 of the mixture over the pork, reserving the remaining 1/4. Add the cooled onion mixture to the pork.
Using a coarse setting, grind or process the pork mixture, passing it through 2 times. If you are processing, use an on-off motion, and do not over process. Take a small sample, form it into a patty and fry it in a pan to taste for seasoning, and add part or all of the reserved spice blend as needed.
Form the mixture into a loaf pan or terrine, taking care to pack tightly and eliminate any air. Top it with the three whole bay leaves and cover with foil.
Bake in a water bath in a low oven (300°) until the pâté reaches an internal temperature of 140°.
Remove from the heat, set several cans over the foil-covered pâté to weight it down and let the pâté cool gradually, then store it in the refrigerator. To serve, slice thick pieces from the terrine. It is best eaten with crusty bread, crackers and cornichon pickles.

Notes

Pink salt #1, also known as Prague Powder #1 is a curing salt containing sodium nitrite, available online. Do not confuse it with Himalayan pink salt. They are not interchangeable.

Nutrition

Sly’s Pâté de Campagne