Country Pate

Step 1

Put bay leaves in single layer in 9X5 inch loaf pan. Line length of pan with bacon; set aside.

Step 2

Half fill a large roasting pan with water and place in oven. Close oven door and preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Step 3

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup parsley, green onion, garlic and shallots and saute about 2 minutes. Remove to large bowl.

Step 4

Slit sausage lengthwise, remove meat from casing and place in large skillet. Add 1/4 cup beer and cook over medium heat, mashing and turning with spatula, just until sausage starts to lose pink color but is only partially cooked. Stir in fennel. Remove from heat and add to parsley, onion mixture.

Step 5

In same skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add veal and saute until partially cooked, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup beer and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and add to bowl.

Step 6

Place chopped bacon in same skillet and saute about 2 minutes. Add stuffing mix and blend thoroughly. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup beer and cook 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir into onion-meat mixture. Add eggs, remaining 1/2 cup parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Blend thoroughly. Mix in pistachio nuts.

Step 7

Carefully pack mixture into prepared loaf pan, pressing down firmly. Wrap entire pan in heavy duty foil or doubled regular foil, as if wrapping a package. Place in roasting pan and bake 1 hour. Remove from roaster and weight pate for 3 to 4 hours by placing another loaf pan filled with heavy objects such as books or canned goods on top of it.

Step 8

Remove weight and refrigerate pate several hours or overnight.

Step 9

To serve, remove foil, loosen completely with knife and unmold on serving platter. Pat off excess fat with a paper towel.

Step 10