Rabbit Terrine with Cumberland Sauce
Ingredients
- Rabbit - 1 whole, headless and dressed
- Lean Boneless pork Shoulder, Boston butt, or center-cut bonless chops - 11 ounces
- Madeira - 1 cup
- Armagnac - 1/4 cup
- Salt - 1-1/2 teaspoons
- White Pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
- Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Onion - 1, coarsely chopped
- Celery Stalk - 2, coarsely chopped
- Carrots - 2, large, coarsely chopped
- Bay Leaves - 3 (or 5 small)
- Coriander - 1/2 teaspoon
- Thyme - 1/2 teaspoon
- Tart Green Apple - 1 small, peeled, cored, and diced
- Black peppercorns - 1 teaspoon
- Garlic Cloves - 2, chopped
- Water - 1 gallon
- Ham - 3-1/2 ounces, cooked, chilled and cut in 1/8-inch cubes
- Pork Fatback - 3-1/2 ounces, chilled and cut in 1/8-inch cubes
- Truffles - 1/2 ounce, finely chopped (optional)
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1-1/2 cups
- Eggs - 2
- Pork Fatback - 1 pound, sliced paper-thin
- Cumberland Sauce
- Red Wine - 1/3 cup
- Port Wine - 3/4 cup
- Ground ginger - 1/4 teaspoon
- Pinch of dry English mustard
- Pinch of cayenne
- Lemon zest - Zest of 1 lemon, blanched
- Orange Zest - Zest of 1 orange, blanched
- Orange Juice - 3 tablespoons
- Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon
- Red Currant Jelly - 10 ounces
Instructions
Two days before service, debone rabbit legs, shoulders, and loin. Reserve carcass and meat on ribs and neck for stock. Remove any silverskin from the loin. Dice the rabbit and pork meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Place cubed meat in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/4 cup Madeira and the Armagnac over the meat. Toss, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The same day as the marinade process is started, make a stock from the reserved bones and trimmings of the rabbit. Chop the bones into pieces and saute in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large stock pot. When the bones are lightly browned, add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until lightly browned. Deglaze with 1/4 cup Madeira. When the bottom of the pan starts browning, deglaze again with 1/4 cup Madeira. Add bay leaves, coriander, thyme, peppercorns, apple, and garlic. Deglaze again if ingredients stick to the bottom. Fill the pot with 1 gallon water and bring to a boil. Lower the haet and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 quart. Strain through a sieve into a smaller pot and reduce further until 3/4 cup of stock remains. Cool to room temperature; refrigerated in a sealed container.
The day before service, take the meat out of the marinade, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Grind the meat twice with a fine blade and place in a stainless steel bowl set over a larger bowl filled with ice. If a grinder is not available, puree in a processor with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinade, leaving a little texture. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the cold reduced stock (if the stock is too cold and has jellied, warm in a water bath but do not heat). Add the reserved marinating liquid, then begin to incorporate the cream a little at a time. After all the cream has been added, stir in the eggs. When thoroughly blended, fold in the diced ham, fatback, truffles, and peppercorns.
Line the bottom and sides of one 1-1/2-quart terrine with thin slices of pork fatback. Leave a couple of inches of excess fatback overlapping the top edge; it will be folded over the top later.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Fill the terrine with the meat mixture to about 1/2 inch from the top. Smooth the surface, then fold the excess fatback over the top. Place additional slices of fatback over gaps. Cover the terrine and set in a shallow pan partially filled with hot water. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 140 to145 F. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
To serve: Run a knife along the sides to loosen the terrine and invert onto a platter to unmold. Slice 1/2-inch thick and place a slice on each serving plate. Spoon Cumberland Sauce around the terrine slice.
Cumberland Sauce
Bring the wines to a boil in a saucepan. Add the ginger, mustard, and cayenne. Add the blanched zests and simmer 10 to 15 minutes over low heat. In a small bowl, blend the orange juice and cornstarch, then pour into the wine mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add the red currant jelly and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and strain. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold.
