Slice of life
A charcuterie classic makes the cut in the 21st century.
One of the great things about a classical French terrine is its flexibility. You can swap the meats, herbs and vegetables with the seasons, and voila! You get a lovely chunky, rustic result. Terrine lends itself very neatly to the summer menu at Prof’s@Woodlands, the rural cafe tucked into the gardens of Woodlands Historic Homestead, near Hamilton. Prof’s terrine is a thick slice of meaty, picnic-style deliciousness, served cold with grilled ciabatta, green leaves, and smoky stout chutney ($14).
It is made by Prof’s husband-and-wife owners, Kate and Allan Wilson, who have arrived in hospitality by a different route from most restaurateurs. They both have science degrees – Allan was an electronics engineer in his previous career and Kate is an intellectual property strategist, the former managing partner of intellectual property law firm James & Wells.
The Wilsons share a love of cooking, and at Prof’s they both work kitchen shifts as well as running other aspects of the business. They’ve introduced a number of home favourites to the cafe, among them a labourintensive terrine, its careful layering of different textured meats and vegetables followed by gentle waterbath cooking.
Says Kate: ‘‘Terrine fits into our ethos of making our food from scratch, and where possible using flavourings we grow or make. The terrine’s sage and thyme is from our garden.’’
The Wilsons’ son Ben is a trained chef, and he was heading Prof’s kitchen team last spring when his parents pitched their terrine for the menu. Kate says Ben was sceptical; although he’d eaten terrine with them during travels in France, he joked it was some kind of ancient meatloaf with its own ecosystem. Prof’s customers have had the last word, giving happy feedback on the lunchtime treat.
Kate says that while she cooks terrines by instinct at home, developing a recipe for the cafe called for more precision on measurements and techniques.
She says different meaty textures are important; she uses chunks of chicken thighs, coarsely minced pork belly (meat and fat), and finer chicken livers and egg to bind the mixture. Flavourings include brandy and fresh herbs, and the meats are layered with pistachio nuts (more texture) and seasonal vegetables. In spring, Kate and Allan used fresh Waikato asparagus, in high summer it’s French beans.
It’s all wrapped in bacon for a little saltiness and visual appeal, and cooked in a traditional loaf-shaped dish. The water-bath method ensures the mixture doesn’t dry out, and it is subsequently cooled, then weighted and pressed overnight in the fridge to develop its structure.
On the plate, it presents an elegant pink and green picture. On the palate, it’s a mix of rich, meaty, herby flavours; a French charcuterie classic making the cut in the 21st century.
Chef’s tip: ‘‘Choose vegetables that will cook evenly, hold their form, and produce a nice cross-section when the terrine is cut,’’ says Kate.
42 Whitikahu Rd, Gordonton, Hamilton, ph 0274 690 694. profs.co.nz