These mini ham terrines are spiked with cornichons and capers and gosh, they are good. They make perfect individual portions either as a generous starter or, with some crusty bread, salad and pickles, a light lunch or supper.
If you read last week’s post you’ll know I cooked a large gammon joint and we’ve been eating it up ever since. Hot, with parsley sauce; cold, with bubble and squeak and a poached egg; in a sort of hammy dauphinoise; in pasties and in a soup with the last of the parsnips from the garden. All comfort food and not normally the sort of things I’d make in spring, but these are far from normal times.
The terrines are lighter and brighter. I could have made one big one, but I wanted something we could eat, enjoy and move on from. And anyway, I think they’re cute, like dolls’ tea party food. I really am losing my marbles, aren’t I?
You’ll need to make them the day before you want to eat them so they set, but there’s no cooking involved. I put them in miniature loaf tins but you could use cocottes, demitasse coffee cups or even tea cups. The quantities I’ve given work for my little tins – you may need to either adapt or simply only fill part way.
Individual Ham Terrines
Ingredients:
About 200-220g cooked ham, smoked or unsmoked, diced small
75g cornichons, diced small
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
225ml ham stock + 1 tbsp cider vinegar
Gelatine – I used 1 1/2 sheets but please follow instructions on your packet
Method:
Dice the ham and cornichons and place in a bowl with the capers and chopped parsley. Mix and season well, as you’ll be eating this chilled and it mutes the flavours. Taste and make sure you’re happy with the balance of meat to pickles.
You can line your tins or cocottes with cling film at this point – buttering them lightly helps it stick. Try not to have too much hanging over the edge (unlike me) or it can act like a wick and some of your precious jelly will end up on the counter. I think it’s a method that works better for larger terrines, so don’t bother if you don’t want to.
Soak the gelatine in a little cold water for five minutes. Heat the stock gently. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and stir into the stock until melted.
Stir a little of the liquid into the ham mixture. Pack it into the tins and carefully top up with the warm stock, a little at a time, until it comes just above the top of the meat. Place on a flat plate, cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Turn out carefully onto serving plates. If the terrines are reluctant to leave the tins, dip their bases into hot water for a few seconds, then upend them so the top is in contact with the plate and give them a wiggle. Eat and enjoy.
Now doesn’t this look beautiful. And delicious, of course. A very happy Easter to you and yours.
Thank you, Frank, and to you and your family too. I was just about to sit down and read your Easter post! Been messing about in the garden all day. Take care. x
This is a very similar dish to the ‘jellied veal’ and/or pork served for all the festive times in NE Europe . . . in Estonia called ‘sult’. As we use pork hocks and veal shoulder as a norm, gelatine is oft not necessary as the resultant dish is meant to ‘wobble’ just a tad like a proper panna cotta. Yes, many make big serving bowls . . . I also love special pretty single-serve dishes. Ours usually does not have added vinegar but is served with the latter and mustard . . . . a beautiful special dish . . .
Nothing like the wobble on properly jellied stock. Happy Easter, Eha.
these look absolutely delightful linda. i like the cute mini size of them too. Hope you’re doing well during the crisis. cheers
sherry
Thanks, Sherry, we enjoyed them. We’re doing well, thanks, hope you are too. Stay well!