Pork and watercress terrine with poached apples

Photographer: Emma
Serves 10

Terrine is one of those dishes which must not be thought about too much before consuming.  If one was to explain it to an unknowing, unsuspecting diner then I suspect mouths may become instantly clamped.  Flaked meat suspended in cold gelatine…..hardly appetising.

And yet, even to this pseudo hippy, terrine, as I recently learned, is deliciously appetising.  Pairing the pork with watercress lends a decidedly New Zealand flavour to this dish and provides a nutty, peppery contrast to the rich, salty pork.  The juniper berry add a freshness and the poached apple, aside from looking beautiful plays on the idea of serving cold meat with fruit chutney.

If you’ve never before made, or eaten terrine then I urge you to give this a go.  Serve this at your next dinner party and I can guarantee you will impress!

INGREDIENTS

Pork and watercress terrine
2.6kg smoked pork hocks
10 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 tbsp juniper berries
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped watercress

Poached Apples
2 apples, sliced into 2mm slices (peel core and all)
1 small onion, peeled and halved
1 clove garlic, peeled and bruised
1 tsp juniper berries
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup water
½ cup cider vinegar

METHOD

Pork and watercress terrine
1. Place hocks in a large stockpot along with cloves, cinnamon sticks and juniper berries and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours until the meat falls off the bones.
3. Remove the hocks from the pot and coarsely flake the meat (you want to keep it chunky). Discard the bones, fat, skin and sinew.
4. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve, reserve 500ml (discard remaining) and add the ground cloves, ground cinnamon, watercress and meat.
5. Spoon this mixture into a 1.5-litre terrine mould lined with plastic wrap. Press down and place a heavy object on top to weight it. Refrigerate until set (5–6 hours). Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow it to come up to room temperature.

Poached apples
1. Place all ingredients, aside from the apples, in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the apples and poach for 5 minutes. You want them to remain firm.

To serve
1. Turn out the terrine, cut into 1cm-thick slices and serve with poached apples.