There is no mystery to making a terrine or pate - it is foolproof with good ingredients. Always use fresh pork that is not too lean. Pork on the fat side produces moist terrines with a good flavour. For a coarse-textured terrine, as the one below, do not mince the meat too finely.
Finally, do not be timid with the seasoning: a bland terrine is about as interesting as a baked pork loaf, which is, after all, what an unadorned terrine is.
PORK AND PRUNE TERRINE WITH ARMAGNAC * 800g (11/4 catties) fresh pork from leg, coarsely minced * 100g streaky bacon, finely chopped * 6 prunes, pitted & roughly chopped * 1/4 cup armagnac or brandy * 1 medium onion, finely chopped * 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped * Unsalted butter for frying * 1 egg, beaten * generous pinch each of ground nutmeg, cinnamon and clove * 1/2 tsp dried thyme or sage * Salt, black pepper Combine the prunes and armagnac or brandy, and leave for a few hours. Slowly saute the onions and garlic in the butter until soft. Do not brown: they should remain pale.
Mix all the ingredients together and allow to rest for an hour or so to allow the flavours to meld. Fry up a little patty to check the seasoning. It should be quite highly flavoured, the flavours will become muted when the terrine is chilled. Pack the mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with a lid or tinfoil.
Bake in a warm water bath, with the level halfway up the dish, for about 90 minutes in a slow oven. Remove the cover for the last half-hour so that the terrine browns.
When cooked, the terrine will literally be floating in its own juices and fat. Allow to cool, cover with tinfoil and weigh down in the fridge with tins or weights. This compresses the terrine and makes it easier to slice. Best eaten a day later.