Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
That I am a fan of French cuisine is no longer a secret for you. In any case, I really think the apéro moment is something that we should also introduce here in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, our culture is not really geared to this and we usually have finished the meal by 17:00. I can still remember a wonderful moment during one of our vacations. We were invited by the owners of the holiday home next to their farm for the apéro. Around 17:00 we started with a glass of wine and some cheese and nuts. Hours and hours later they found it so cozy that we really had to sit down at the dining table! Mind you it was at 21:30 pm that we took our first bites of the evening meal. terrine recipes
This terrine recipe for a Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast would go well with such an extensive apéro! So I found the idea for it on a French website. Now I'm lucky enough to be able to read and speak it so making it wasn't that complicated either. I haven't really changed much about it because the idea itself is perfect.
The word “apéro” is derived from the French word “apéritif”, which means a drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. However, the origins of the apéro concept date back to ancient times, when Greek and Roman philosophers talked about the benefits of drinking wine before meals. Later in the Middle Ages, drinking herbal drinks became popular as an aperitif.
Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast
In the 19th century, the use of alcoholic aperitifs became increasingly popular in France, especially among the upper classes. However, the idea of the apéro as a time to gather with friends or family for a drink and a snack before dinner is a more recent development, having grown in popularity in the 20th century. Today, the apéro is an important part of the culture, especially in France and Switzerland, where it is often celebrated with wine, cheese, cold cuts and other snacks.
Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast
Now I have found this Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast on a French website, but who knows what you noticed? The observant reader will have noticed that all the ingredients are actually Italian! Pesto, mozzarella, Parma ham, all Italian classics…. And so it could actually be an Italian recipe! By the way, again made in a real French terrine.
I bought this myself at Le Creuset. And yes that is quite an expense because it costs a good eighty euros. Quite a pricey thing for a scale that you don't use every week. But I'm very happy with it because if you want to make a terrine then you have the perfect piece of ceramics at home! terrine recipes
Here you will find the complete recipe with all the ingredients you need. I hope you have fun preparing the dish below.
Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast
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Ingredients:
- 600 gram chicken breast
- 2 balls of mozzarella
- 10 slices of Parma ham
- 1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes
For the pesto you will need:
- 10 sprigs of basil - the leaves of it
- 30 gram Parmesan cheese
- 4 el pine nuts
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- peper
Nice and easy: click on the logo of your favorite supermarket to add the ingredients.
And this is how you make it:
- Cut the chicken breast into strips. Fry them with some olive oil in a frying pan over low heat and with the lid on the pan. This keeps the meat soft and white. So you don't want crispy – brown fried meat.
- Grind the pesto, or use a small food processor. Turn the pesto into a nice smooth sauce.
- Cut the mozzarella and the drained sun-dried tomatoes into strips.
- Take your terrine and cover it with cling film. Then place the slices of Parma ham in it. These simply stick to the sides of your terrine, when it is filled we fold it back again.
- First place a layer of mozzarella strips on the bottom of the meat. Spread some pesto on it. Then a layer of chicken breast strips, and then sun-dried tomatoes. Repeat until the terrine is full. Place 1 slice of Parma ham along the entire length and fold the sides. Also the cling film.
- With most terrines you get some kind of ceramic "weightener" with it. With my Creuset terrine it is that ceramic insert that you see on the right in the photo. Place this on the terrine and the weight will make it more compact.
- Packing, and weighting as you can see in the photo.
- Put in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Then carefully remove it from the terrine and cut into slices with a sharp knife.
- Delicious bites!
Other tasty French dishes for an apéro or just the Dutch way, a snack board:
This delicious snacks board to have a drink with.
And this one spicy cauliflower cheese balls with harissa sauce.
Also this one baked feta with garlic olives.
Even more inspiration?
Delicious Happen is a multi-media company, so you can also find me on various social media. follow me on Facebook, Pinterest en Instagram under @delicioushappen. If you make this recipe I would love it if you tagged me #delicioushappen. A comment below in the comments is also nice of course!
Parma ham terrine with pesto chicken breast terrine recipes
This one is really Lekekr!
It's high on my to-do list. I think this can also be a delicious appetizer or brunch dish.
Made this for the family weekend, it was very well received. I had smuggled a bit, didn't make the pesto myself but bought a jar.
It's great to hear that it was well received! oh and that smuggling… go ahead then 😉 grits Francine
Makes you hungry