French · Authentic-ish French
Pate de Campagne
140 kcal a serving, against 270 for the traditional version. That is 130 kcal off, or 48%, with 22.2g of protein. Serves 10. 2 hours, plus overnight chilling.
What the traditional version is
A heavy mixture of minced pork shoulder, belly and back fat, blended with chicken livers and heavily seasoned. It's bound with whole eggs and often a splash of double cream or brandy, then baked in a water bath until the fat renders and sets into a solid white seal around the edges. The result is immensely rich, coarse and spreadable.
What changed, and what each change costs
Pork shoulder and belly out, lean pork loin in
Pork shoulder brings a huge volume of intramuscular fat, and classic recipes add even more pure fat on top. I use lean pork loin instead, skipping the belly entirely.
What it costs you. Moisture and spreadability. Without the fat, the pate is undeniably firmer and drier. It slices cleanly but it simply won't melt across warm bread.
Dropping the egg yolks and double cream
Traditional binders rely on dairy fat and egg yolks to keep the mixture soft. I use egg whites to bind the lean meat together without piling on extra heavy ingredients.
What it costs you. You lose the velvety background mouthfeel. The final texture is much more austere, putting all the focus purely on the meat and the sharp seasoning.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 270 | 140 |
| Protein | 18.8g | 22.2g |
| Fat | 19.9g | 4g |
| Saturated fat | 7.9g | 1.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.6g | 1.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7g | 15.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. eggs, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This is the first thing I slice up when I want a quick lunch. This is a solid, deeply flavoured block of coarse meat. Nobody is going to mistake it for a rich, fatty spread. The chicken liver brings an earthy depth that reminds you exactly what dish you are eating, even if the texture is much firmer. I actually like the chew. It makes it feel like a proper meal rather than just a snack. Pair it with something sharp like pickled onions or English mustard to cut through the density.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback