Terrine of Cured Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Wild Pheasant Rillettes, Cherry Mustardo, Ginger Bread Crumbs, Pistachio, Fuji Apple, Radish, Water Cress & Red Leaf Lettuce
Foie Gras is the enlarged liver of a goose or duck that has been force-fed grain and/or corn. There are only three foie gras producers in the United States. The horrific, abusive videos and photos you will find on youtube or PETA's website are not from these farms. I buy foie from Hudson Valley Foie Gras, located in the Hudson Valley of New York State. The ducks that are raised here for their meat and livers are treated better than over 99% of the other animals in this Country that are murdered for us to eat. And that's as far as I will go on this subject.
The process to make this terrine began by curing two bone-in pheasant breasts with a mixture of salt and herbs. The breasts were rubbed with the cure and placed in the fridge over night. They were removed and brushed off before being submerged in pork fat and slowly cooked for six hours. Once cooled a bit, the fat was strained off and the meet pulled from the bones and roughly chopped.
The foie gras was cured at the same time as the pheasant. After it sat at room temperature for an hour it was cut into cubes and passed through a fine mesh tamis. It was whipped with salt, white pepper, sugar, pink curing salt and Wild Turkey Bourbon. It was then placed into a vacuum bag and sealed. It was cured over night.
The foie was removed from the fridge and allowed to come to room temp to soften. It was then mixed with the chopped pheasant breast and turned out onto sheets of plastic wrap. It was rolled into a log and tied off. The log was then rolled in a kitchen towel and tied with twine. It was placed back into the fridge to firm up before being sliced into circles.
The mustardo was made with cherries that I had pickled over the summer. I placed the cherries and their pickling liquid into a sauce pan along with some whole mustard seed and a little extra sugar. I slowly simmered the cherries til the liquid reached a thick syrupy consistency. The mustardo was then jarred and chilled.
I scooped out small spheres from the apples and radish with a Parisian scoop. I also sliced one of the radishes. Whole pistachios were shelled and chopped with a knife. I ran some homemade ginger bread cookies through a spice mill to make the crumble. The final garnish was the red leaf lettuce and some hydroponic water cress.
The process to make this terrine began by curing two bone-in pheasant breasts with a mixture of salt and herbs. The breasts were rubbed with the cure and placed in the fridge over night. They were removed and brushed off before being submerged in pork fat and slowly cooked for six hours. Once cooled a bit, the fat was strained off and the meet pulled from the bones and roughly chopped.
The foie gras was cured at the same time as the pheasant. After it sat at room temperature for an hour it was cut into cubes and passed through a fine mesh tamis. It was whipped with salt, white pepper, sugar, pink curing salt and Wild Turkey Bourbon. It was then placed into a vacuum bag and sealed. It was cured over night.
The foie was removed from the fridge and allowed to come to room temp to soften. It was then mixed with the chopped pheasant breast and turned out onto sheets of plastic wrap. It was rolled into a log and tied off. The log was then rolled in a kitchen towel and tied with twine. It was placed back into the fridge to firm up before being sliced into circles.
The mustardo was made with cherries that I had pickled over the summer. I placed the cherries and their pickling liquid into a sauce pan along with some whole mustard seed and a little extra sugar. I slowly simmered the cherries til the liquid reached a thick syrupy consistency. The mustardo was then jarred and chilled.
I scooped out small spheres from the apples and radish with a Parisian scoop. I also sliced one of the radishes. Whole pistachios were shelled and chopped with a knife. I ran some homemade ginger bread cookies through a spice mill to make the crumble. The final garnish was the red leaf lettuce and some hydroponic water cress.