Rabbit terrine

I made a rabbit terrine.

It is a hybrid of Patricia Wells' recipe in Bistro Cooking and Richard Olney's in Simple French Food. Haha. Simple. He was a funny man.

I messed with the seasonings, as usual - cognac, local juniper, lots of thyme and a heavy hand with the salt and pepper. And I added, at Olney's suggestion, a paste of breadcrumbs and garlic.

So if you'd like to make this terrine soon, buy both books - you won't be sorry - throw them in a blender and see what comes out.  Exercise your judgement.

But when I have made it again, and tested my meddling, I'll post this recipe. Promise. It's wonderful.

The terrine cooked in a low oven in a bain marie. Hot water bath. Then it was weighed down with one jar of grape jam, a can of beans and a bottle of artichoke hearts, with dry black beans as ballast. This compressed it a little and also pressed the meat layer below the fat that melted from the smoked bacon lining the terrine container. I've made a similar recipe before, for a dinner a long time ago, and, like an idiot, I did not write that one down. It was very good. At least this time I took notes. I have a little black book of untranscribed recipes...

Here is a slice served with moskonfyt (MAWS-con-fate) - a jam made on the West Coat of South Africa from grapes, usually hanepoot (Muscat d'Alexandrie). This jar came from Oep ve Koep, Kobus van der Merwe's mom's shop in Paternoster, attached to his wonderful restaurant of the same name.

Otherwise, we wait. For the promised - or threatened snow. I am very excited. If you have a warm bed to sleep in, and a roof over your head, snow is very beautiful. I'll never grow tired of its magic.