James Beard'S Pate De Campagne Provencale - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs lean pork, coarsely chopped
2 lbs veal, finely chopped
1 lb pork liver, ground
1 lb pork fat, fresh (fat bacon fine too)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup cognac
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
bacon, to line the terrine (salt pork fine too)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the pork, veal, liver, pork fat or bacon, garlic, eggs, white pepper, cayenne, allspice, Cognac, basil, salt and black pepper. Mix well. (If you wish to test for seasoning, fry a small piece in a little butter or oil until it's cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.).
Line a 2 1/2-quart terrine or baking dish with the bacon or salt pork, reserving two or three strips. Spoon the pate mixture into the baking dish, then place the reserved bacon strips over the top. Cover the pan tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Remove the foil and continue baking for 1 1/2 hours, or until the pate slightly shrinks away from the sides of the baking dish. Remove from the oven and carefully drain off excess fat. Cool.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place a weight (I usually use a brick wrapped with heavy-duty foil) on top. Refrigerate for at least eight hours.
To serve, cut the pate into 1/2-inch slices or small bite-size chunks and accompany with toast points.