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Rustic French Pate

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         I discovered this wonderfully different paté almost by accident as you will read in this story. But in casting about for our 12 days of Christmas recipes, I realized it’s just the kind of dish that has Holiday written all over it.  A pate that you can put on a buffet table at a holiday party and watch disappear.  And wonder of wonders, it’s not a paté riddled with fat. In fact the only fat in it is from the ground pork and veal. Nothing else.  So go ahead and make this delicious dish one day this season.  I think you’ll wish me a Merry Christmas when you do. Now here’s the background.

          More often than I’d like, I’ll make something that I think will be what Andrew has taken to call “blogworthy” only to have it crash and burn and not turn out to be at all usable.  Case in point was a recent recipe that caught my eye for “Rustic French Meatloaf”.  I’m all for meatloaf and put it near the top of my comfort food list.

         Unfortunately, “Rustic French Meatloaf”, fell apart while being sliced and looked pretty terrible in every photograph—a kind of gray mass.  The taste, however, was far more interesting than the way it looked.  What made it French were the pistachio nuts and prunes.  Yes, prunes!  The nuts and the fruit added a completely different dimension to the dish.  And so we sat down and enjoyed our dinner and wrote it off as blog fodder.
 The next day however was an entirely different story.  The cold meatloaf was the grandest of pates.  It sliced beautifully and evenly. The pistachios and the prunes provided a beautiful contrast to the meatier ingredients.  Served with slices of ciabatta, it was elegant and delicious. Another day it made a beautiful sandwich.  
Then I realized that this was probably the easiest pate recipe I’d ever made.  Normally the process of making a “Pate de Campagne” is an arduous process involving all kinds of hard-to-find ingredients. Things like ‘caul fat’ spring to mind.  
Here, however, was the very basic recipe for any meatloaf.  Combining the readily available ingredients and cooking them in the oven with no ceremony attached was so simple.  The only time constraint is waiting overnight for the pate to emerge from the refrigerator.  But it’s worth it.  
 


6 thoughts on “Rustic French Pate”

  • I think it's absolutely beautiful. Especially adding the prunes and pistachios, it's a lovely presentation when sliced. Now you serve it with mustard, interesting. And you are right, I saw just recently with all of the holidays specials airing, Jacques Peppin {sic} prepare a Pate that was very involved. I have never tried, I would be left with the entire portion. However, this is quite doable and I am in an adventurous mood. I'll just tell everyone it's the rustic meatloaf….

  • The French pate was a hit at our Xmas party in Westport, CT. Loaf held it's shape and made quite an impression on guests who have learned to expect Feliz Navidad cuisine at my house. Mexican quiche is easier to make, but this recipe was much more special. Thanks Monte. K

  • Karen, so glad it was a hit. I love the pistachio and prune combination. Hope you had a wonderful holiday! We are in Bridgehampton preparing for our Holiday Open House this week. XOXO Monte

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