Layering Flavors in a Vegetable Terrine

MASTER CLASS Layering Flavors in a Vegetable Terrine The key is letting each layer of rich tomato mousse set before adding the crisp-tender vegetable accent BY JAMES PETERSON Author Jim Peterson was first inspired by a photo to try making a terrine. Almost twenty years later, he still has fun creating new variations. Photos: Ben Fink The first time I saw a vegetable terrine was in a bookstore in 1977. I was immediately enchanted by a beautiful picture on the back cover of a French cookbook: slices of a multicolored terrine surrounded by a rosy-pink tomato sauce. Inspired, I rushed home to try to duplicate this beauty in my own kitchen. In the years since, I ve served many brightly colored vegetable terrines, usually as a first course for fancy dinners. Vegetable terrines, named for the loaf-shaped container in which they re assembled, are not only beautiful to look at, but they re also light, delicious, versatile almost any vegetable works in a terrine and quite spectacular when sliced. You also need to make them in advance of serving, which makes a vegetable terrine a perfect do-ahead course. FIGURING OUT THE FILLING There are several kinds of fillings for vegetable terrines, none terribly difficult, but each with its own A sliced terrine shows off its bright interior. Layers of leeks, carrots, green beans, and roasted peppers add flavor, color, and a subtle textural contrast. JUNE/JULY 1996 61

Begin by making a rich chicken broth Put the greens from six of the leeks in a 6-quart pot and cover with the chicken wings. The wings keep the leeks from floating and interfering with skimming. Pour in cold water to just cover the wings and heat until the water starts to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and maintain a gentle simmer for two hours, skimming periodically and discarding any fat or froth. pitfalls. One of the most common methods is to make a mousseline filling by puréeing raw meat or fish with egg whites and then slowly working heavy cream into the mixture to lighten it. While a well-made mousseline can make a delicious foil for the vegetables, its rich flavor can overwhelm the vegetables delicacy. Another problem with using a mousseline is that the terrine has to be cooked. Because vegetables can t be added to a terrine raw (they ll release too much water), using a mousseline means you have to cook the vegetables twice, which will cause them to lose color and flavor. Another filling used in vegetable terrines is aspic, a savory jelly made from clarified meat stock. The problem with this kind of filling is that many of us Americans don t like aspic, especially the somewhat rubbery aspic that s needed to make a terrine solid enough to slice. A mousse filling gives the terrine structure yet keeps it light, which is why I like it best. My favorite filling, the one shown here, is a kind of savory mousse closely related to Bavarian cream, which gets its strength from natural gelatin and its lightness from whipped cream. In this case, the gelatin After two hours of simmering and skimming, add the tomatoes. Simmer another hour, skimming occasionally. comes from a chicken broth that s flavored with tomatoes and slowly reduced to concentrate its flavor and gelatin, which comes from the chicken s skin and bones. I mix the broth with whipped cream that s been seasoned with salt and pepper. The result is a delicately flavored mousse that holds its shape when chilled but that isn t rubbery. The proportion of broth to cream and the concentration of the broth have to be well thought out. If there isn t enough natural gelatin in the mousse, the terrine won t set and will fall apart when you unmold it or try to slice it. If there s too much gelatin, the terrine will be too stiff and will have an unpleasant texture. Because the stock reduces on the stove for hours, you ll want to make it ahead, even a day or two before you re ready to assemble the terrine. Keep the stock refrigerated, but before folding it into the whipped cream, bring it back to a loose consistency by heating it gently until it reaches room temperature. BOLD, BRIGHT VEGETABLES WORK BEST For my terrine, I like to use vegetables with flavors assertive enough to stand up to the filling. A variety Strain the broth into a smaller pot, pressing down on the wings. Discard the cooked wings. Simmer the broth, skimming the fat and froth, until it s reduced to 1 3 4 cups. Add the tarragon or basil to the broth and remove the pot from the heat immediately. Let the broth sit for 15 minutes off the heat and then strain it into a clean container. Refrigerate if not using right away. 62 FINE COOKING

Have all your vegetables ready for layering Cook the vegetables to keep their color. Blanch the green beans, roast the peppers, and sweat the carrots in a little olive oil. of wild mushrooms, each type sautéed and flavored differently than the other (some sprinkled with a little garlic, others with shallots; chopped marjoram on another, thyme on another) makes a delicious and complex-flavored terrine. In the terrine shown here, I ve chosen leeks as the dominant vegetable because their flavor remains bright and strong even when served cold, and because they look dramatic when sliced, especially against the pink backdrop of the tomato mousse. Carrots and green beans, though their delicate flavor remains subtle, look pretty in the terrine, as do the more flavorful roasted peppers. A LINING FOR THE MOLD IS PRETTY AND PRACTICAL In a meat terrine, a lining of fat is essential for keeping the terrine moist. In this vegetable terrine, the lining is mainly decorative, although it can help make removing the finished terrine easier. When preparing a lining, I try to use one that makes sense with the flavors in the dish rather than something that s completely unrelated to what s in the terrine. In the recipe given here, leek greens are an obvious and very dramatic choice. Trim and clean the leeks. Cut off the hairy root and cut the greens off the leeks where they start to turn pale green. Reserve both the whites and greens. Shave the outer dark green leaves remaining on the green end of the whites. Cut the whites partially in half lengthwise, leaving about 1 2 inch attached at the base, and rinse the leeks under cold running water. LETTING EACH LAYER SET BEFORE ADDING THE NEXT IS CRUCIAL The only obstacle to constructing this kind of terrine is that you must get each layer of mousse to set in the terrine before you can add the next layer. If the layers are not set, one layer may sink into the next, which won t look good. On the other hand, allowing the layers to firm up too much may cause them to slide apart when it s time to cut a slice. A few tricks keep your assembly running smoothly and help guarantee a perfectly set terrine. Have everything but the mousse cold and dry. Before you begin assembling the terrine, be sure the vegetables you re layering are dry and chilled. I ll even chill the lined terrine for a few minutes before assembling. Don t let your unused mousse set before you ve spread it in the mold. The best approach is to work fast, spreading a layer of mousse in the lined mold and then putting the mold in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up. The unused mousse should be left out at room temperature so that it doesn t set. Working quickly, you then arrange a layer of vegetables over the first layer of set mousse, spread another layer of room temperature mousse over the Plunge the reserved leek greens into boiling salted water and boil until very supple, about 12 minutes. Remove, rinse with cold water until cool, and pat dry. Do the same with the leek whites. Finish cutting the whites in half after cooking. Make a thick mousse To make the mousse, season heavy cream with salt, white pepper, and sherry vinegar. Whip to medium stiffness in a chilled bowl with a chilled whisk. Fold the roomtemperature broth into the whipped cream. JUNE/JULY 1996 63

Assemble all the parts Separate the leek greens layers as if finding the opening to a plastic bag. Run your thumb down the center between the layers to open. Line the terrine with these thin membranes, overlapping if necessary. Leave 2 inches hanging over the sides. Arrange six to eight cooked leek halves lengthwise, end to end, in the terrine, flat side up. Ladle in enough mousse to form a 1 4-inch layer. vegetables, and return the terrine to the freezer until that layer is set. Chill the finished terrine in the refrigerator for at least four hours before slicing. You may be able to get away with just two hours, but the extra time doesn t hurt. Vegetable terrines can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve. If they re kept much longer, the vegetables start to lose their color. BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF AS YOU CUT THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL SLICE When it s time to serve the terrine, you need to get it out of the mold without damaging it. If you ve lined the terrine, it should slide out easily when you invert it onto a chilled serving platter. If it sticks a little, run a sharp knife carefully around the inside of the walls to loosen it. If you haven t lined the mold, the mousse will likely stick. The best remedy for this is to hold the terrine in a pan of hot water for about 15 seconds, and then run a knife along the inside of the mold before turning the terrine out onto a platter. Once you have the terrine out of the mold, take a moment to appreciate the applause you ll get when Slam the terrine on the work surface to drive out any bubbles trapped in the first layer of the mousse. Freeze a few minutes until the mousse sets. 64 FINE COOKING

Unmold, slice, and serve Invert the terrine onto a chilled platter. Run a knife along the inside edge of the pan if it s stubborn. Add the remaining halved leek whites, flat side up, and fold the strips of leek greens over the leek whites. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours before serving. Layer the carrots and add another ladle of mousse over them. Slam the terrine again and freeze until the mousse has set. Repeat the process with the green beans and then the roasted peppers, alternating the colored strips of peppers. End with a fourth layer of mousse. Slice the terrine into 3 4-inch servings. With one hand supporting the sides, cut the terrine with a very sharp serrated knife in a sawing motion using very little force. you bring it to the table. If the mousse is well made, it should be creamy and delicate. Unfortunately, while this texture makes the best terrine, it can make slicing difficult. Don t try to slice the terrine too thin about 3 4 inch is good and don t press down with the knife when slicing. With one hand, hold the terrine fairly tightly on either side to keep its walls together. Use a long, thin, very sharp serrated knife and make gentle sawing movements with very little pressure. You ll run into the most resistance when slicing through the first layer of leeks; just be patient and continue sawing gently. If the slices look like they may fall apart, support each slice with a spatula while you re working. Gently transfer the slices to chilled plates. A light sauce perks up flavor. Most vegetable terrines don t need a sauce because a flavorful filling is enough. But sometimes I find that despite having paid careful attention to seasoning, the terrine needs a little extra zing. My favorite sauce in such cases is a vinaigrette made with good vinegar (sherry vinegar is my favorite), extra-virgin olive oil, and, since the mousse has a tomato flavor, a little chopped tomato. I usually serve the vinaigrette on the side so my guests can take as much as they want. Vegetable & Tomato Mousse Terrine Yields enough to fill a 9- or 10-inch loaf pan or terrine; serves twelve as a first course. 8 to 10 leeks (depending on size; long, thin leeks work best) 4 lb. chicken wings 6 medium tomatoes, chopped coarse, or one 28-oz. can of tomatoes, drained and chopped 1 small bunch fresh tarragon or fresh basil, chopped coarse 2 Tbs. salt (for cooking the leeks) 1 1 2 cups heavy cream 2 tsp. sherry vinegar 1 1 2 tsp. salt 1 2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper; more to taste 1 2 lb. carrots, cut into 1 4x2-inch strips, cooked in 1 Tbs. olive oil for 12 to 14 min. 1 4 lb. green beans, preferably haricots verts, trimmed and blanched 2 or 3 bell peppers, (red, green, yellow, or a combination) roasted, peeled, and cut into 1-inch-wide strips FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: 1 3 cup sherry vinegar 2 3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine James Peterson, a Fine Cooking contributing editor, is the author of Sauces (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991), which was named Cookbook of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, Splendid Soups (Bantam Books, 1993) and Fish & Shellfish (Morrow, 1996). A tomato vinaigrette makes a great accompaniment. Its tangy flavor will complement the rich mousse. (See recipe at left.) JUNE/JULY 1996 65