With company for dinner, the last thing you want to be worrying about is the droop working its way into the broccoli.
Yes, it’s a tricky business to find an elegant, inspiring vegetable dish that will withstand the onslaught of time and guests.
Well, there is a solution: vegetable terrines.
The artistry of their assemblage makes them as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate. The likely, and even unlikely, combinations of texture, flavor, color and shape are endless.
The vegetable terrine can be composed of only two or three vegetables or of many. The vegetables can be pureed, minced, chopped, cut into evenly sized pieces or left whole, depending on the effect desired.
The results are delightful. When a vegetable terrine is unmolded and sliced into individual servings, your lucky band of friends will marvel at your culinary savvy. But the truth is that although there are several steps involved in making a vegetable terrine, none requires technical skills more complex than running a food processor or wielding a chef’s knife.
The spinach, mirepoix and duxelles terrine is a very colorful and flavorful recipe and actually improves in texture and flavor a day after preparation.
Because the flavors are best at room temperature, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
But most important of all, remember to have fun and give your creative side free rein. Your guests will appreciate your efforts. Bringing color and freshness in from the garden this winter is always a hit.
Spinach, mirepoix and duxelles terrine
1pound fresh spinach, washed and large stems removed
2tablespoons butter
2tablespoons flour
1cup light cream
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon nutmeg
4eggs
31/2cups grated well-aged Swiss cheese
Mirepoix (recipe follows)
Duxelles (recipe follows)
Blanch spinach in a large pot of boiling water for 4 minutes; drain, then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking; drain again. When cool enough to handle, squeeze all of the moisture out of the spinach; set aside.
Meanwhile, over medium heat, melt the butter in a saucepan. With wire whip, stir in flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the light cream gradually, stirring constantly. Add salt and nutmeg, and stir until thickened. Remove pan from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, place the well-squeezed spinach in a food processor and chop. Add the cooled white sauce and blend. Add eggs and blend again. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in 2 cups of the Swiss cheese.
Butter an 81/2-by-41/2-by-21/2-inch loaf pan (or any loaf pan of similar dimensions). Line bottom and sides with a sheet of kitchen parchment (waxed paper can be substituted, but it is a little difficult to peel from the cooked terrine), then butter the inside of the parchment paper.
Spoon a little less than half of the spinach mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan. Sprinkle 3/4 of a cup of the remaining cheese over the spinach layer, then gently spread the cheese layer with the cooled mirepoix.
Spread a thin layer of the spinach mixture over the mirepoix, then sprinkle the layer of mirepoix with the remaining 3/4 cup of Swiss cheese. Spread the duxelles over the cheese, then top with remaining spinach mixture.
Bake the terrine in center of a 350 degree oven for about 50 to 55 minutes, or until the loaf has puffed in the center and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before unmolding. Terrine may be served hot, warm, or placed back in the loaf and chilled. To serve, slice the terrine into 1/2-inch slices and place on a large serving platter. This terrine is especially delicious chilled, and can be made up to two days ahead.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Mirepoix: Mirepoix is a classic French seasoning that can be prepared and refrigerated for up to a week at a time, which makes the assembling of this vegetable terrine even easier.
To prepare, saute 4 slices of diced bacon in a saucepan until crisp. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, then add 1/2 cup each of finely chopped celery, carrots and onion. Saute with the bacon bits until the vegetables are softened. Season with about 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
If you would like to make the terrine without meat, omit the bacon.
Duxelles: Duxelles is also a classic French seasoning that can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator up to a week ahead or frozen for up to 6 months.
Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add 1 pound of finely minced mushrooms (a food processor works the quickest), 1/2 cup minced yellow onion (which can be thrown into the food processor along with the mushrooms), 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.
Saute over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms and the mixture is dry and dark colored.
Vegetable and herbed rice terrine
1/2pounds red bell peppers
3hard cooked eggs
2cups cooked and cooled medium-grain rice
3tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1tablespoon finely chopped parsley
4tablespoons butter, divided
2tablespoons minced shallots or yellow onion
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2cups finely julienned carrots
2cups finely chopped blanched broccoli
6eggs
11/3cups light cream
1/4cup dried fine bread crumbs, divided
2cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
Wash and halve the peppers. Remove the seeds and ribs and cut into large pieces. Grate with a hand grater or shred with the julienne blade of a food processor; let drain in a sieve for 20 minutes.
Finely chop the eggs and combine with the rice and herbs. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and saute the shallots until barely wilted. Stir them into the rice mixture, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Cook the carrots in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter until softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside until slightly cooled.
Cook the broccoli in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to dry slightly. Season with salt and pepper and cool slightly. Beat together the eggs and cream and set aside.
Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan (or pan of similar dimensions). Line bottom and sides with sheet of parchment, then butter the inside of the parchment paper (waxed paper will work too, but is more difficult to remove from the terrine after it has cooled). Sprinkle the bottom of the loaf pan with half of the bread crumbs. Spread half the rice mixture across the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese across the rice. Pour on enough egg/cream mixture to barely cover. With each vegetable layer you will repeat the cheese and egg/cream steps.
Spread on the carrots, sprinkle on cheese, then a little of the egg/cream mixture again. Spread on the broccoli, then the cheese and the egg/cream mixture. Finally, spread on the remaining rice and the rest of the egg/cream mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs, top with a buttered piece of parchment and cover with aluminum foil.
Place the loaf pan in a larger baking pan then place in the center of oven. Pour in enough boiling water into the outer pan to reach about 1-inch up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. The loaf should have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the egg/cream mixture should be thickened so when a knife inserted in center will come out clean.
Remove from oven then peel off the aluminum foil and let the loaf cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the loaf pan; remove the parchment paper on top and invert it onto a plate. Pull off the remaining parchment and serve hot, warm, or return to the pan and chill. To serve, cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Makes 12 to 14 servings.
Adapted from “The Victory Garden Cookbook,” by Marian Morash
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
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