Ham and Goat Cheese Terrine

Fit for Company, Great Leftovers

The success of this incredibly simple terrine depends on the quality of the ham that you use. Leftover baked ham works well; cut your slices as thin as you can. If you purchase ham from a deli, ask for the best smoked ham, sliced about 1/16 inch thick. Serve on a salad of curly endive or frisée, dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette. Accompany the terrine with cornichons and pickled pearl onions and thin slices of good peasant bread (I’m partial to German style rye breads).

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces fresh goat cheese (a mild, soft one, such as Laura Chenel or Montrachet), at room temperature
• 1 8-ounce block Philadelphia cream cheese (use the original, which contains guar gum), at room temperature
• ¼ cup sour cream or creme fraiche
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives or scallion greens
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons port, Madeira, or sweet sherry
• 2 packets (4½ teaspoons) unflavored gelatin, dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8–12 ⅙-inch-thick slices good smoked ham or ⅛-inch-thick slices leftover baked ham (about 1 to 1½ pounds)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the cheeses, sour cream, herbs, shallot, and port in a food processor and scrape the gelatin mixture over. Pulse several times, until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The cheese mixture will pick up salt from the ham, so it’s best to undersalt; you may find you don’t need any at all.
2. Line an 8½-×-4½-inch (6-cup) loaf pan with plastic wrap so that it overhangs the sides. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of ham (if a single ham slice doesn’t cover the pan, use several pieces fitted together). Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, cover the ham with a thin layer (¼ to ½ inch) of the cheese mixture, then cover with another layer of ham. Repeat the layering until all the ham and cheese are used. Cover the top with the overhanging plastic wrap (if necessary, use additional wrap so that it is sealed). Refrigerate the terrine overnight to firm and let the flavors meld. (Refrigerated, the terrine will keep for 3 to 4 days.)
3. To unmold, gently pull on the plastic wrap to loosen the terrine. If it sticks, immerse the mold in a pan of very hot water for 10 to 15 seconds to melt some of the gelatin. Invert the mold over a platter and unmold. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. To serve, use a serrated or electric knife to cut the terrine into ½- inch-thick slices.

ALTERNATIVE CUT:

• To vary the flavor of the terrine, use other types of ham, such as prosciutto, serrano, or Westphalian ham.

COOK’S NOTE:

• You can also make this mixture into pinwheels, which are ideal for a passed hors d’oeuvre. You won’t need the gelatin; you will need uniform 1/16-inch-thick ham slices purchased from a deli. Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of the filling on a ham slice, leaving a ¼-inch border all around. Roll
  up the ham into a cylinder and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining ham slices and the filling mixture until all the filling is used.
• Refrigerate the rolls for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap and cut each roll into ¾- to 1-inch-thick rounds. You can skewer each round with a toothpick or just lay them cut side down on a platter and let your guests grab them with their fingers.