Rabbit Terrine

A week ago I joined Michelle of Greedy Gourmet and Sarah of Maison Cupcake for lunch, we had a disappointing meal but great fun. Michelle gave us both a book, mine is by Julia Child "My life in France" where she advocates "Learn how to cook - try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun."  So what would be scary about cooking - an ingredient we are not used to such as rabbit, a terrifying word such as terrine but the two together, here is a recipe which trials the adage above. Will you try or will you chicken out. Let me know. What ever you do, have a look at the recipe because it is far less scary than one thinks.

Rabbit Terrine

Ingredients

600g/1lb 6oz rabbit, bones removed and chopped into 2.5cm/1in pieces
200g/7oz chicken livers, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
200g/7oz pork loin, trimmed and chopped
50ml/2fl oz white port
175ml/6fl oz white wine
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp quatre épices
1 slice soft white bread
200ml/7fl oz single cream
2 free-range eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
2.Place the rabbit, chicken livers and pork into a bowl. Add the port, white wine, shallots, one sprig of the rosemary, ginger and quatre épices and mix well to coat the meat. Leave to marinate for at least 5-10 minutes, then discard the marinade.
3.Place the bread into a large bowl, pour over the cream and allow to soak for five minutes, or until the bread is softened. Gently squeeze the cream out of the bread, discarding the cream, then return the bread to the bowl.
4.Add the meat to the bowl with the bread, then add the beaten eggs and mix until well combined. Season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5.Spoon the mixture into a large ovenproof terrine mould, press down to pack together tightly, then press the remaining sprig of rosemary on top. Place the mould into a roasting tray and transfer to the oven. Fill the roasting tray with enough hot water to come up halfway up the sides of the mould, then bake for one hour, or until the terrine is cooked through.
6.Remove the terrine from the oven and allow to cool completely, then cover with cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 48 hours.

Recipe from Stephane Reynaud's book "Terrine" - photo of a slice of terrine sadly not rabbit-