Jellied ham and parsley terrine

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

First, make a mushroom stock. Trim the mushrooms. Finely chop the onion, then cook gently in the butter and olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Slice half of the mushrooms, add to the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in 750ml water, then cook for another 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a clean saucepan, season lightly with salt and leave to cool.

Clarify the cold stock as follows: chop the remaining mushrooms and mix them with the egg whites, then add to the stock in the saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and leave to cook over a very gentle heat for about 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve or colander lined with muslin or a clean tea towel. Soak the gelatine in iced water for a few minutes to soften it.

Mix 250ml of the hot mushroom stock with the drained and squeezed-out gelatine. Check the seasoning and adjust as required, then set aside.

When the stock has cooled a little, start to make the jellied ham with parsley. Finely chop the shallot, then cook, stirring, in a saucepan with the olive oil over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes, without letting it colour. Drain the shallot of oil and put it to one side. Dice the ham and the cornichons. Mix together the shallot, ham, cornichons, herbs and capers, then place in a terrine mould or divide among 4 ramekins. Cover with the almost-cold mushroom stock and leave to set in the fridge for about 2 hours, until you have a firm jelly.

Unmould the terrine and serve with sauce gribiche, if you like. Croutons of bread, such as baguette, are also lovely with this.