freshly grated nutmeg
3 juniper berries, crushed
2 tsp chopped thyme leaves
8–10 rashers of streaky bacon, rind removed
25g (1oz) shelled pistachios
2 boneless game breasts (about 200g/7oz in total), such as pheasant, pigeon, partridge or woodcock, cut into strips
Bay leaves and juniper berries, to decorate
For the celeriac remoulade
½ celeriac
250ml (9fl oz) mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard
13 × 23cm (5 × 9in) loaf tin or casserole dish
1 Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion with some salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for about 8–10 minutes or until the onion is softened and slightly golden. Set aside to cool.
2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the minced meats with the nutmeg, juniper berries and the chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked onions, then fry a little bit of this mixture in a hot pan and taste for seasoning.
3 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and butter the loaf tin.
4 Place the bacon rashers between two sheets of cling film and roll out with a rolling pin to make the bacon slices thinner and longer. Peel away the cling film from the bacon and line a loaf tin or small casserole by placing the rashers slices side by side along its width, making sure that each piece hangs over each side as it will be folded back over the top of the terrine.
5 Spread one-third of the minced meat mixture over the bacon on the bottom of the tin, then scatter with half the pistachios and arrange half the pieces of game on top to cover the surface. Spread out a second third of the minced meat mixture, followed by another layer of the pistachios and game fillets. Fill with the remaining minced meat mixture, level out with the back of a spoon, then fold the overlapping bacon back over the top to cover.
6 Cover with foil, place in a bain-marie (a roasting tin filled to a depth of a few centimetres with boiling water) and bake in the oven for about 1½ hours or until cooked through or firm to the touch in the centre. (To check that it’s cooked, insert a metal skewer into the centre of the terrine and leave for 10 seconds; the skewer, once removed, will then feel too hot to hold against the inside of your wrist.) Remove the foil after the first 45 minutes.
7 Let the terrine sit in the loaf tin for about 20 minutes before turning out onto a plate and allowing to cool to room temperature. Decorate with some bay leaves and juniper berries.
8 Meanwhile, make the remoulade. Peel and finely slice the celeriac into matchstick-sized pieces or grate using the roughest part of the grater or in a food processor. Then mix with the remaining ingredients in a bowl, seasoning to taste.
9 Cut the terrine into slices and serve with crusty white or sourdough bread and the celeriac remoulade.
RACHEL’S TIP
If you are using your own game meat, use it from the legs, thighs, kidneys, livers and hearts. If you or someone you know has shot a pheasant, pigeon or partridge, you could use up the whole bird in this dish: I tend to use two pheasants or one pheasant and one pigeon, but you could otherwise use a pack of mixed game from the butcher or a supermarket.
Penne with asparagus and Parma ham
Parma ham is one of the world’s great foods, with an incredible complexity to its flavour. This is a simple lunch dish that is all about letting great ingredients speak for themselves.
SERVES 6
600g (1lb 5oz) dried penne
18 asparagus spears
Table salt, sea salt and ground black pepper
25g (1oz) butter
6 tbsp créme fraîche
8 large slices of Parma or Serrano ham, roughly cut into strips
A few shavings of Parmesan cheese per portion (shaved with a peeler)
1 Cook the penne following the instructions on the packet, then drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid, and return to the warm pan (off the heat).
2 While the pasta is cooking, snap off the tough woody part at the bottom of each asparagus spear and discard. Fill a large saucepan to a depth of 4–6cm (1½–2½in) with water, add some table salt and bring to the boil. Tip in the asparagus and cook in the boiling water for 4–8 minutes or until just cooked.
3 Drain the asparagus immediately, then cut each spear at an angle into 3–4 shorter lengths. Place in a bowl, add the butter and season with sea salt and pepper.
4 Add the crème fraîche to the drained pasta in the pan and toss to coat, then tip in the asparagus and Parma ham and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls with a few shavings of Parmesan on top of each portion.
Venison sausages with celeriac purée
These skinless sausages make a substantial, comforting meal — a great winter lunch. Celeriac is quite an ugly-looking vegetable — those gnarled roots look positively ancient. When peeling it, you’ll find the skin goes quite deep in places. But beneath that knobbly armour is flesh that, when cooked, has a subtle flavour with just a hint of celery.
SERVES 4–6 MAKES 12 SAUSAGES
25g (1oz) butter
1 onion, peeled and diced
300g (11oz) venison, minced or pulsed in a food processor
200g (7oz) minced pork (at least 20% fat)
50g (2oz) fresh white bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated
1 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
Salt and ground black pepper
1–2 tbsp olive oil
For the celeriac purée
1 celeriac, peeled and chopped into 1–2cm (½–¾in) dice
2 floury potatoes, peeled and cut into
