HERBED LAMB AND SPINACH TERRINE 

This recipe comes from Zita's restaurant in Melbourne, renowned for its pates and terrines. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 bunches spinach ( about

•  20 leaves 

• 750g lamb mince 

• 500g lean bacon 

• ½ cup chopped parsley 

• ½ clove garlic 

• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried 

• 1 teaspoon thyme 

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 

• 1 teaspoon pepper 

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• 3 medium onions 

• 30g butter 

• 250g chicken livers 

• ½ cup brandy 

• ½ cup Madeira 

• ½ cup cream 

• 4 eggs 

• 60g pistachio nuts 

• 2 thin slices of ham 

• 60g thinly sliced speck ( smoked bacon )

 HERBED LAMB AND SPINACH TERRINE RECIPE:

Remove stalks from spinach wash spinach leaves, tear them up roughly, and place in a steamer or large pan. Cover tightly, and cook until leaves are tender Drain, press out all moisture Place spinach in food processor, and process until spinach is finely chopped Place spinach in bowl, add mince. 125g finely chopped bacon, chopped parsley crushed garlic basil, thyme nutmeg pepper, and salt Cover chicken livers with water. leave 30 minutes 

Melt butter in pan, add finely chopped onions Cook until onions are just tender Drain chicken livers. clean, cut livers into 1cm pieces Add livers to pan, cook 2 minutes Pour brandy over, mix well, stir in Madeira and cream. Bring mixture to boil remove from heat, allow to cool then stir into spinach mixture with lightly beaten eggs, mix well. Shell pistachio nuts, cover pistachio nuts with hot water, leave 5 minutes, remove skins. 

Add nuts to the mixture, and mix well. Line the base and sides of the loaf tin ( base measures 12cm x 22cm ) with bacon ( remove rind first ) Add half the spinach mixture to the tin, make a furrow in the center of the spinach mixture, and place speck on top of ham slices, roll up. place ham rolls along the furrow. Spoon the remaining spinach mixture on top Cover with remaining bacon. Cover with aluminum foil, secure with string place in a baking dish with hot water to come halfway up sides of the loaf tin, and bake in moderate oven for 1 hour Remove from oven, place a weight on top, cool, refrigerate overnight

Also Read: ITALIAN COOKERY GLOSSARY