Vegetable Terrine

Name: Vegetable Terrine
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 5 h 30 min
Yield: 8 slices
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: Butter for greasing the loaf pan; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 shallots, finely minced; 100 g fresh sorrel leaves, stems removed and roughly shredded; 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice; 150 g green beans, trimmed and halved; 1 small broccoli head (about 250 g), broken into small florets; 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips; 2 small zucchini, cut into 1 cm dice; 4 large eggs; 200 ml heavy cream (or crème fraîche); 50 ml whole milk; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 60 g grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Ice water, for shocking vegetables

Vegetable Terrine is the ultimate make-ahead centerpiece that celebrates layers of colorful, peak-season produce bound in a delicate egg-cream custard. Perfect for brunch, picnics, or an elegant starter, this French-inspired dish delivers big flavor with minimal last-minute fuss.

Ingredients

Butter for greasing the loaf pan
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
100 g fresh sorrel leaves, stems removed and roughly shredded
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
150 g green beans, trimmed and halved
1 small broccoli head (about 250 g), broken into small florets
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
2 small zucchini, cut into 1 cm dice
4 large eggs
200 ml heavy cream (or crème fraîche)
50 ml whole milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
60 g grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ice water, for shocking vegetables

Instructions

Prepare equipment. Place a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of a deep roasting pan; this prevents the loaf pan from sliding. Butter a 24 × 10 cm (9 × 4 in) loaf pan thoroughly, including the corners.
Blanch the vegetables.
a. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and set a large bowl of ice water nearby.
b. Add the diced carrots; cook 4 minutes.
c. Add the green beans; cook 2 minutes.
d. Add the broccoli florets; cook 1 minute.
e. Immediately transfer all vegetables to the ice bath to halt cooking, then drain and pat completely dry with kitchen paper to avoid watering down the custard.
Sauté aromatics and sorrel.
Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallots; sauté 2 minutes until translucent. Stir in shredded sorrel; cook just 1 minute until wilted and vivid green. Remove from heat and let cool.
Whisk the custard base.
In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Pour in heavy cream and milk; whisk smooth. Add Dijon mustard, Parmesan, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Whisk again to combine thoroughly.
Combine vegetables.
In a large bowl, gently toss blanched vegetables, zucchini dice, bell-pepper strips, and cooled sorrel-shallot mixture so colors are evenly distributed. This ensures striking stripes in the finished Vegetable Terrine.
Assemble.
Heat oven to 170 °C (340 °F). Spoon half of the vegetable mix into the prepared loaf pan and press lightly. Ladle in just enough custard to barely cover. Repeat with remaining vegetables and custard, finishing with a thin custard layer to seal.
Create a bain-marie.
Place the loaf pan on the towel in the roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. This gentle water bath prevents curdling and promotes even cooking.
Bake.
Transfer to the oven and bake 50–55 minutes, until the terrine is puffed, set, and a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Chill.
Remove loaf pan from water bath; cool on a rack to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight yields the cleanest slices).
Unmold and serve.
Run a thin knife around the edges. Invert onto a serving platter. Warm a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, and slice the Vegetable Terrine into eight neat portions. Serve cold or slightly cool with herb vinaigrette, garlic-yogurt sauce, or a chilled pea soup starter.