Most people have not tried the hearts or cheeks of a cow. Melinda Strauss, a loyal KOL foods customer, created this recipe for everyone to try and it is absolutely delicious! There is no reason to shy away from this amazing recipe. Your taste buds will thank you! 

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 lb) KOL Foods beef heart
• 1 (1 lb) KOL Foods beef cheek
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tsp crushed juniper berries
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup soy or almond milk
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 cup raw shelled pistachios
• 1 package KOL Foods chicken skins (around 10-12 skins), can also use KOL Foods lamb bacon

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan and saute the onions until translucent but not brown. set them aside to cool.

2. Grind the meat: slice up the beef heart and cheeks then push them through the grinder at medium-low speed. Please note that beef cheeks have a lot of connective tissue so try to cut some of that out before grinding.

3. When the meat is all ground up, put it through the grinder one more time. As you push the ground meat back through the grinder, also add the sauteed onions and spices and push it through the grinder.

4. Stir in the eggs, soy milk and red wine and mix until completely combined.

5. Line the bottom of a loaf pan (if you have a terrine pan, you can definitely use that as well) crosswise with strips of chicken skin.

6. Place the skins down as close together as possible without overlapping and leave 2 inches of chicken skin overhang on both sides.

7. Fill the bottom of the pan with a third of the meat mixture, then add half of the pistachios. Add another third of the meat mix then the remaining pistachios. Cover the top with the remaining meat mixture.

8. Cover the top of the meat with the chicken skins, crossing the sides over each other.

9. Cover the terrine with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours, giving time for the flavors to marinate.

10. Hours later, remove the plastic wrap and tightly cover the loaf pan with three layers of foil. Place the pan in a casserole dish.

11. Fill the dish with 1 inch of boiling water and placed the terrine in a 350 degree F oven for 1½ to 2 hours.

12. The terrine is ready when an instant read thermometer inserted into the terrine (through the foil) hits 155-160 degrees F.

13. Take the terrine out of the oven, remove the foil and let it rest for 30 minutes.

14. Put a piece of parchment paper over the terrine then put a piece of foil-lined cardboard, cut to the shape of the terrine over the parchment paper. Place a few heavy cans of tomato sauce on top of the cardboard to weigh down the meat and make it very dense for slicing.

15. Chill the terrine in the refrigerator for 24 hours before slicing. This step is super-duper important!

16. Hours later, take the terrine out of the fridge. Take off the canned tomatoes and discard the foil-lined cardboard and parchment paper.

17. Run a dull knife around the edges of the terrine to loosen it then place the pan in a casserole dish with 1 inch of hot water for just a minute to loosen the terrine. Tip the terrine to drain any excess liquid then place a cutting board on top of the terrine and flip it over. The terrine should slide right out of the loaf pan.

18. Gently wipe the chicken skins with a paper towel to remove any excess fat then slice into it.

19. The terrine will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled, for up to 2 weeks.