Pate De Campagne (country Pate)

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cognac
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup onion, minced
• 2 1/2 lbs ground lamb
• 12 ounces bacon, finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices (8 to 10 slices)
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces ham steaks, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• coarse sea salt
• cornichon (tiny little french dill pickles)
• dijon mustard

Recipe

• 1 set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°f boil cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. cool.
• 2 melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. add onion and saute until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.
• 3 combine ground lamb and chopped bacon in large bowl. using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended. add sauteed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, and pepper to bowl with lamb mixture and stir until incorporated. add eggs, cream, and reduced cognac. stir until well blended.
• 4 line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. arrange ham strips over in single layer. top with remaining meat mixture.
• 5 fold bacon slices over, covering pate. cover pan tightly with foil. place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. bake pate until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°f, about 2 hours 15 minutes.
• 6 remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pate to weigh down. chill overnight. do ahead can be made 4 days ahead.
• 7 place loaf pan with pate in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. cut pate crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.