Beetroot Summer Terrine Recipes

SUMMER VEGETABLE TERRINE

Steps:

• Roast beets:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Trim beets, leaving 1/2 inch of stems intact. Divide between 2 sheets of heavy-duty foil and wrap foil to enclose beets. Roast in a shallow baking pan until very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let steam in foil 15 minutes, then peel beets and cut into 1-inch-wide wedges if large. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make gelatin mixture while beets roast:
• Halve leeks lengthwise, then coarsely chop. Wash leeks in a bowl of water, agitating them, then lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a 3-quart saucepan. Add carrots to leeks along with sliced celery, shallots, wine, salt, peppercorns, and 3 cups cold water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.
• Add celery leaves, herb stems, and coarse parts of chives and simmer 10 minutes. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure or heatproof bowl, discarding solids. If stock measures more than 2 1/2 cups, return to saucepan and boil until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 10 to 15 minutes. If there is less, add water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir gelatin into remaining 1/4 cup cold water and let stand 1 minute to soften, then add to hot stock, stirring until dissolved. Set aside.
• Prepare beans:
• Boil haricots verts and wax beans in separate batches in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until very tender, 6 to 7 minutes per batch, transferring with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain in a colander and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble terrine:
• Very lightly oil terrine, then line long sides and bottom with a sheet of plastic wrap, smoothing out any wrinkles and allowing at least 2 inches of overhang on each side. Pour about 1/2 cup gelatin mixture into terrine and quick-chill in freezer until just set, about 10 minutes.
• Lay one third of beans lengthwise over set gelatin layer. Sprinkle with one third of chopped herbs (including chives), then loosely top with half of beets, leaving some space between them (for gelatin to fill and hold vegetables together). Repeat layering with half of remaining beans and herbs and all of beets, then end with a third layer of beans and herbs. Stir remaining gelatin mixture again, then slowly pour in all but 1/2 cup (reserve remainder at room temperature), pushing down vegetables if necessary to just cover with gelatin mixture. Chill, uncovered, until top is set, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• If reserved 1/2 cup gelatin mixture has begun to set, heat until just liquefied but not hot, then pour over set terrine. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• To serve:
• Run a thin knife along short sides (ends) of terrine, then invert terrine onto a cutting board, gently pulling on plastic overhang to help unmold (discard plastic wrap). Carefully cut terrine with a very sharp knife into 8 slices, transferring each slice to a plate as cut, using a metal spatula to hold outside of each slice steady. Drizzle oil (1/4 cup) around plates and sprinkle fleur de sel and pepper over oil and terrine.

VEGETABLE TERRINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it and blanch the beet greens for 1 minute. Remove the leaves and immediately rinse under ice-cold water to set their color. Gently lay flat on tea towels, and pat dry with another tea towel. They should be completely dry.
• Line a buttered terrine mold with a piece of parchment. Neatly lay in the beet leaves to cover the bottom and sides completely. They should dangle over the sides a bit so that they can be folded over the completed terrine later.
• Cook the cauliflower, carrots and peas one at a time in the same pot of boiling salted water, until very tender. Remove them and immediately rinse in ice-cold water to preserve their color. Drain well. Roast the pepper until very soft. Peel, seed and cut into pieces.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
• This terrine has five layers, so work one vegetable at a time. First put the cauliflower in the blender with 1/4 cup/60 ml cream and 1 egg. Pulse to a smooth puree. Pour into a small bowl and set aside. Rinse the blender and proceed with the remaining vegetables in the same manner, pouring their purees off into bowls and setting aside. Put the final egg and 1/4 cup/60 ml cream in the blender with the Parmesan cheese and puree to blend. Season each mixture with salt and pepper.
• If you pour one mixture on top of the other into the terrine, they will run together, so spoon them in instead. Start with the carrot, spooning it into the terrine and smoothing it out to the edges. Next, spoon over the cauliflower, followed by the peas. Spoon the Parmesan mixture over evenly, and end with the red pepper. If one leaks through to another layer, fear not: some think it is even more beautiful that way and in any case it will taste delicious. Fold the overhanging beet leaves over top to cover. Bake in a water bath until set, a good hour.
• Remove the terrine from the bath. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, and, if possible, chill in the refrigerator overnight so it sets well. At least half an hour before serving, turn the terrine out onto a cutting board or platter for serving in slices.

BEET TERRINE

Steps:

• Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on the long sides of pan.
• Chop the onion and dill or mint finely.
• Cut the beetroot into small cubes or thin rounds. Layer some beetroot at the bottom of loaf pan. Follow with a layer of onion and then a generous layer of chopped dill or mint. Repeat and finish with a layer of beetroot.
• Mix the vinegars, the water, and teaspoon of honey in a small saucepan, and heat together until honey is dissolved.
• Soften the gelatin leaves in a bowl with cold water, completely covered. Once soft, squeeze out excess water from the leaves and add to the warm water/vinegar sauce. Stir until completely dissolved. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour the warm, runny gelatin over the beets in the loaf pan until covered. Press down slightly, cover and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight or longer for a better flavor.
• Slice with sharp knife and serve.