Will serve up to 12 people as a delicate starter – or somewhat fewer if not so delicate

450g (1lb) minced venison
450g (1lb) minced pork
225g (8oz) rindless ‘Real Bacon’ (smoked streaky bacon)
30 x juniper berries crushed
1 x rounded dessertspoon mixed peppercorns
110g (4oz) ready-shelled pistachio nuts
¼ x teasp powdered mace
1 x heaped teasp chopped fresh thyme
2 x rounded teasp salt
175ml (6fl oz) dry white wine
25ml (1fl oz) brandy
900g (2lb) loaf tin 10 x 12 x 9cm deep or 1.75litre (3pint) terrine

Method
Place venison and pork in a large bowl, place bacon slices on a board stacked on top of one another, cut them into thin strips about 3mm (1/8inch) add to the bowl. Next crush peppercorns quite coarsely with pestle and mortar add to bowl with juniper berries. Chop pistachio nuts in half add to bowl along with thyme mace salt wine and brandy.

Combine all ingredients together either with your hands or large fork and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to marinate for 2 hours. Pack mixture into loaf tin or terrine covering the surface with a double thickness of foil. Pleat the corners and fold foil under the rim of container. Place terrine in a roasting tin and put on middle shelf of oven pour in about 2.5cm (1inch) of boiling water. Cook terrine for approx 1 ¾ hours. Remove from oven leaving foil on, after 30minutes place two 1lb weights on top. (If you are short of 1lb weights tins of beans, tomatoes etc. make a splendid substitute – and this is probably the best use they could be put to). When terrine is completely cold put in fridge (with weights still on) and leave overnight to firm. Remove from fridge about one hour before serving.

Cut into slices and serve with thick, toasted country bread. A wonderful accompaniment for the terrine would be confit of cranberries

CONFIT OF CRANBERRIES

450g (1lb) cranberries
110g (4oz) granulated sugar
425ml (15fl oz) red wine
2tblsp best quality red wine vinegar
grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Place all ingredients in a saucepan, bring mixture to a gentle simmer stir well let it barely simmer without a lid for approx one hour, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat leave to cool then spoon into serving bowl. Cover until required.