Basque Pâté with Espelette Pepper

A rustic terrine with a firm yet melting texture, where the richness of the belly balances the intensity of the liver. The Espelette pepper provides a lingering warmth and a characteristic orange hue.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 90 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1075
• Protein: 38 g
• Carbs: 11 g
• Fat: 93 g

Ingredients

• 600 g Pork belly ( coarsely ground )
• 400 g Pork liver ( finely ground )
• 1 piece Onion ( minced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 1 tbsp Hot pepper d'Espelette
• 18 g Gray sea salt
• 5 g Black pepper ground
• 20 g Wheat flour
• 20 g Duck fat
• 50 ml Dry white wine
• 1 pinch Thyme
• 2 piece Bay leaf
• 30 ml Armagnac

Instructions

1. Meat preparation

   Pass the pork belly and liver through a meat grinder. Use a coarse plate for the belly to maintain texture, and a fine plate for the liver to bind everything together.

2. Sautéing aromatics

   In a pan with duck fat, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce completely.

3. Seasoning and binding

   Mix the ground meats with the eggs, flour, salt, pepper, Espelette pepper, and Armagnac. The mixture should become sticky and homogeneous under your fingers.

4. Assembling the terrine

   Firmly pack the preparation into a terrine to remove air. Place the thyme and bay leaves on top to flavor the cooking fat.

5. Bain-marie cooking

   Place the terrine in a dish filled with hot water. Bake at 160°C. The pâté is cooked when it slightly pulls away from the edges and the juices that rise are perfectly clear.

6. Cooling and resting

   Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Wait at least 48 hours before slicing so the flavors can stabilize.

Chef's tips

• To check the seasoning, fry a small ball of the mixture in a pan and taste it before filling the terrine.
• The secret is resting: a pâté eaten too early will be crumbly and less flavorful.

Storage

Keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Take it out 30 minutes before serving so the fat softens.