Its shape determines a terrine, and the actual pan in which it’s cooked is also called a terrine. But the actual food can be anything. In this it’s a combination of fresh and smoked fish.
1 pound firm-fleshed white fish fillets such as cod, flounder, or halibut, rinsed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 pound smoked whitefish fillet
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 pound smoked salmon, thickly sliced
3/4 pound smoked sturgeon, thickly sliced
Vegetable oil spray
1. Place fish cubes on a sheet of waxed paper, and freeze for 30 minutes, or until stiff. Grease the inside of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lightly with vegetable oil spray.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bring a kettle of water to a boil.
3. Combine fresh fish, smoked whitefish, eggs, and cream in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and puree until smooth. Scrape mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. Fill the pan with 1/3 fish mousse mixture, and top with smoked salmon slices. Repeat with another 1/3 of fish mousse and smoked sturgeon slices, meat mixture and remaining ham, ending with the last 1/3 of fish mousse. Wrap the loaf pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles, and wrap the entire pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the loaf pan into a roasting pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pan.
5. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, discard the foil, and allow it to sit on a rack for 30 minutes. Pour out any accumulated liquid from the pan, and refrigerate until cold, tightly covered with plastic wrap. To serve, unmold the terrine onto a serving platter and cut off 3/4-inch slices.
Note: The terrine can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.