Iberico Pork Pâté En Croûte Recipe
Accompanied by a dollop of mustard cream.
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Ingredients
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Pâté Filling
Spice Fruit Insert (optional)
Pastry
Mustard Cream
Assembly & Finish
Method
Pâté Filling
- 1
Prepare ingredients
Chill all meats and the fat until very cold; this makes grinding or mincing easier and gives a better texture. If not using pre-ground, finely cube the Iberico shoulder, pork fat and liver to fit your grinder or food processor.
- 2
Grind or mince
Using a coarse grinder plate or pulse in a food processor, grind the pork shoulder and fat together to a coarse, even texture. Add the liver and give one short pass so the liver is distributed but not overworked. Return the mixture to a bowl and keep chilled.
- 3
Sauté aromatics
In a small pan over medium heat, add a touch of neutral oil and sweat the chopped onion until translucent (about 5–6 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with the dry white wine and simmer until mostly evaporated. Cool slightly.
- 4
Combine filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat and fat mixture, sautéed aromatics, cream, egg, thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper and curing salt (if using). Mix thoroughly but gently—use your hands or a sturdy spoon—until evenly combined and sticky. If using the dried fig insert, stir in figs soaked in port or Madeira.
- 5
Chill
Cover and refrigerate the filling for at least 1 hour to firm up. This makes it easier to handle and to prevent pastry from becoming soggy during assembly.
Pastry
- 6
Make pâte brisée
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Rub the cold butter into the flour with fingertips or a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in the egg yolk and cold water just until dough comes together. Do not overwork. Form into a flattened disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- 7
Roll out
On a lightly floured surface, roll two-thirds of the dough to a rectangle large enough to line a 1 kg (approx.) loaf terrine mold or a pâté en croûte mold, leaving extra to fold over. Reserve remaining dough (one-third) for the top crust and decorations; keep chilled.
Assembly
- 8
Line the mold
Butter the mold lightly and fit the rolled dough into it, pressing into corners and trimming excess with a 1–2 cm overhang. Chill the lined mold 15 minutes to relax the pastry and keep everything cold.
- 9
Fill
Pack about two-thirds of the chilled filling into the lined mold, pressing to remove air pockets. If using the fruit insert, create a shallow groove down the center and lay the fig strip in; then cover with remaining filling, leaving a small gap at the top to allow for expansion. Smooth the surface.
- 10
Top crust
Roll out the reserved dough to fit as a lid. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg, place the lid, and seal edges by crimping or pressing with a fork. Trim excess and crimp decoratively if desired. Make 4–6 small vent holes in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
- 11
Bake
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the mold on a baking sheet and bake for 45–60 minutes until pastry is golden and internal temperature of the pâté reaches 70–72°C (158–162°F). If the pastry browns too quickly, tent with foil.
- 12
Press and cool
If desired for a compact slice, remove pâté from oven and while still hot, optionally place a flat board on top and weight it lightly for 10–15 minutes to compress. Alternatively, allow to cool slightly in the mold, then cover and place a weighted board on top once you transfer to refrigerator. Chill at least 12 hours (preferably 24) to fully set flavors and texture.
Mustard Cream
- 13
Mix
Whisk together Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard and sour cream (or crème fraîche) until smooth. Add lemon juice, a pinch of salt and white pepper. If too thick, thin with up to 30 ml heavy cream until a spoonable consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 14
Chill
Cover and refrigerate the mustard cream until service. Bring to cool room temperature before serving alongside the pâté.
Glaze & Finish (optional)
- 15
Make glaze
If you want a shiny slice finish, bloom the gelatin sheet in 15 ml cold water for 5 minutes, then gently warm until dissolved (do not boil). Brush a thin layer over the top of the cooled pâté before chilling to set the glaze.
- 16
Unmold and serve
Remove the chilled pâté en croûte from the mold, trim edges, and slice with a sharp serrated knife. Serve slices with a dollop (about 1 tbs) of mustard cream per slice, cornichons and toasted country bread or brioche on the side.