Method

1. Mince the pork belly, pork shoulder and liver (you can ask your butcher to do this) and place into a bowl. Add a pinch of allspice, a dash of cognac or brandy, the garlic and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours.

2. Melt the butter in a pan until foaming and sweat the onions with a pinch of salt and the picked thyme leaves and bay leaf for 3-4 minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Leave to cool, then remove the bay leaf.

3. Stir the onion mixture into the marinated meat, then mix in the egg and pistachio nuts until well combined. Into the minced meat, now mix in the onions, add the egg and pistachio nuts.

4. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3.

5. Line a terrine mould with the streaky bacon rashers, making sure there’s excess bacon hanging out over the sides. Press the terrine mixture into the mould, then fold the excess bacon over the top of the mixture.

6. Place the terrine into a roasting tin and fill with enough boiling water until it comes up halfway up the sides of the mould. Cover the terrine with tin foil and bake in the oven for two hours. (To check if the terrine is cooked through, simply place a skewer into the middle of the terrine for 7 seconds, remove and check to see it’s piping hot.)

7. Remove the terrine from the bain marie and leave to cool. Chill in the fridge for one day before serving (this improves its flavour). Thickly slice and serve with some gherkins, pickled onions salad and toasted crusty bread.