Seal terrine with Le Malbord beer

Ingredients

• 750 g (1 ¾ lb) seal flipper, shoulder or neck meat
• 454 g (1 lb) pork shoulder or neck
• 225 g (½ lb) seal or calf liver
• 180 ml (¾ cup) pork fat
• 4 slices of fresh bread without the crust
• 180 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream (35%)
• 2 eggs
• 30 ml (2 Tbsp) corn starch
• 125 ml (½ cup) dried cranberries
• 170 ml (⅔ cup) pistachios or hazelnuts
• 125 ml (½ cup) La Collin beer from the microbrewery Le Malbord, or other beer
• 8 à 10 slices of bacon
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• In a bowl, soak the bread in the cream.
• Grind the seal, pork, liver, pork fat and soaked bread in a meat grinder (using a small grinding plate) or process in a food processor. If using a food processor, use the pulse function so as not to heat the meat.
• Salt and pepper the preparation. Measure out 2 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper per kilogram of preparation.
• Add eggs, corn starch, cranberries, nuts and beer.
• Mix all ingredients well and let the preparation rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• In a rectangular mould (terra cotta, ceramic or Pyrex), lay the bacon in the bottom so that both ends of each slice hang over the sides of the mould.
• Line the entire bottom of the mould in this manner and then transfer the terrine mixture. Close the terrine by folding the ends of the bacon slices over the top of the preparation. Lay bay leaves and sprigs of thyme on top of the bacon.
• Cover the mould with a sheet of aluminum foil and cook in a double boiler in the oven at 215°C (425°F) for 90 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 75°C (170°F).
• Let cool before putting in the refrigerator. You can also cool the terrine with a weight by placing on top another container of the same size and filled with canned goods so as to give your terrine a more regular shape.
• It is also possible to coat the top of the terrine with a flavoured jelly once it has cooled to prevent it from oxidizing.
• Serve with onion confit or other toppings.