Chicken and Pistachio Pâté Recipe Ballotine de Volaille aux Pistaches

This simplified version of a classic of French charcuterie can be made using a whole boned bird, or chicken pieces. Serve it for an elegant picnic or a cold buffet accompanied by a herb mayonnaise.

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INGREDIENTS

• 900 g /2 lb boneless chicken meat
• 1 skinless boneless chicken breast (about 175 g/6 oz)
• 30 g/1 oz/2/3 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
• 125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 egg white
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 85 g/3 oz cooked ham, cut into 1 cm/3/8 in cubes
• 55 g/2 oz/1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 3.5 ml/3/4 tsp salt
• 7.5 ml/1½ tsp pepper
• Green salad, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Trim all the fat, tendons and connective tissue from the 900 g/2 lb chicken meat and cut into 5 cm/2 in cubes. Put in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse to chop the meat to a smooth puree, in two or three batches (depending on capacity). Or alternatively pass the meat through the medium or fine blade of a mincer. Remove any white stringy bits.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas 4. Cut the chicken breast fillet into l cm/3/8 in cubes.

3 In a large mixing bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the cream. Add the pureed chicken, egg white, spring onions, garlic, ham, pistachio nuts, tarragon, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, mix until very well combined.

4 Lay out a piece of extra-wide strong foil about 45 cm/18 in long on a work surface and lightly brush oil on a 30 cm/12 in square in the center. Spoon the chicken mixture on to the foil to form a log shape about 30 cm/12 in long and about 9 cm/3½ in thick across the width of the foil. Bring together the long sides of the foil and fold over securely to enclose. Twist the ends of the foil and tie with string.

5 Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 1½ hours. Leave to cool in the dish and chill until cold, preferably overnight. Serve the pate sliced with green salad.

NUTRITION FACTS

Calories: 481 Kcal
Carbs: 13 g
Fat: 34 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg
Protein: 33 g

COOK’S TIP

You could use turkey meat in place of some or all of the chicken. A 2 kg/4½ lb chicken or whole turkey breast yields about 900 g/ 2 lb of boneless meat.