Serves 12

Remember to order grade-A foie gras from a quality butcher or delicatessen in advance. Pink sea salt, or “sel rose”, maintains the colour of the foie gras, and can be found in good delicatessens.

Butter or oil, for greasing
16 slices of Parma ham
Pear, apple or peach chutney, to serve
Slices of toasted brioche, to serve

For the foie gras base

700-750g fresh duck or goose foie gras
10g fine sea salt, plus extra for cooking
10g pink sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp brandy
1 tbsp Madeira

For the game and vegetables

250g loin of venison
250g skinless partridge or pheasant breasts
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, bruised
Large handful of thyme sprigs
50g duck or goose fat or butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, peeled
2 parsnips, peeled
1 tbsp clear honey

1 Take the foie gras out of the fridge to soften an hour before you begin. Check it for veins and remove any with a sharp knife. Slice into chunks and put into a shallow dish. Mix the salts and sugar together, then rub into the foie gras. Sprinkle over the brandy and Madeira and leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, covered with clingfilm.

2 Remove from the fridge an hour before cooking. Grease a 1-litre terrine mould or loaf tin generously with the butter or oil, then line with a triple layer of clingfilm, large enough for the ends to be left hanging over the sides of the tin. Arrange the Parma ham slices on top of the clingfilm – over the base and up the sides of the tin – with enough overhanging the top to fold over the terrine at the end.

3 Trim any sinew and fat from the venison and partridge or pheasant breasts. Cut the venison into long batons, about 2cm thick. Heat half of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan, with 2 garlic cloves and half of the thyme. Fry the meat for 5 minutes, then add half the fat or butter and some seasoning. Cook the meat for a further 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Drain the meat on kitchen paper. Cut the partridge or pheasant into batons and set aside to cool.

4 Cut the vegetables into similar-sized batons to the meat. Heat the remaining oil, garlic and thyme together in a clean frying pan. When it is really hot, add the vegetables and some seasoning. Cook for 8 minutes, turning the vegetables, until lightly golden. Add the remaining fat or butter and heat until foaming. Stir in the honey and cook for a final 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.

5 Preheat the oven to 150C/Gas 2. Scrape the excess salt from the foie gras and transfer to a mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or spatula, gently soften the foie gras to the texture of a smooth pâté. Alternatively, blend briefly in a food processor in batches, taking care not to overwork the foie gras as it may split.

6 Spread a 1cm-thick layer of the foie gras over the bottom of the tin. Randomly arrange a few meat and vegetable batons on top, leaving gaps in between each piece. Fill them with more foie gras, followed by another layer on top. Continue arranging the layers, finishing with a thick layer of foie gras, leaving a slight mound on top. Pull over the overhanging Parma ham slices to cover, followed by the clingfilm.

7 Wrap the top of the terrine with a double layer of foil, pressing it well into the sides of the tin to seal. Lay a folded tea towel on the base of a deep roasting tray. Place the loaf tin on top of the towel, then pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Bake for 45 minutes, until the foie gras is just set. Take the tin out of the water and leave to cool completely. Remove the foil and place a piece of cardboard on top of the terrine. Rest some tins on top and press overnight in the fridge.

8 To serve, pour some water from a recently boiled kettle into a roasting tray or wide dish. Dip the tin into the water and leave for 1-2 minutes to give the Parma ham time to soften slightly. Loosen the sides of the terrine with a flat knife, ease it out and invert onto a board. Remove the clingfilm and cut into slices. Serve with chutney and toasted brioche.

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