Vegetable Terrine

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: VEGETABLE TERRINE
Categories: Appetizers
Yield: 8 servings

------------------------------VEGETABLE LAYERS------------------------------
1 3/4 oz Dry shitake mushrooms
7 lg Cabbage leaves (preferably
-savoy)
12 oz Fresh spinach, stemmed
12 oz Fresh asparagas, trimmed
-and peeled
16 oz Red bell peppers, cut in
-lengthwise strips
12 oz Carrots, cut lengthwise in
-julienne strips
14 1/2 oz Artichoke hearts, drained
-and quartered lengthwise

-----------------------------------BATTER-----------------------------------
1/2 c Buttermilk
1 tb Chopped fresh parsley
1 ts Dried thyme
1 ts Dried tarragon
2 Shallots, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste

--------------------------------TOMATO SAUCE--------------------------------
1 lg Tomato, peeled and seeded
-and chopped (1 cup)
1/4 c Buttermilk
1 tb Tomato paste
pn Cayenne pepper
1 Garlic clove, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

TO PREPARE VEGETABLE LAYERS:
1) In small bowl, combine dry mushrooms and hot water to cover.
Let stand 30 minutes. Drain.
2) While mushrooms are rehydrating, bring large pot of water to
boiling. Blanch vegetables in separate batches in boiling water.
Blanch cabbage leaves 3 minutes, spinach leaves 1 minute, asparagus
and red pepper strips 3 minutes, and carrots 4 minutes. Plunge
vegetables into ice water after blanching. Drain.
3) Pat all blanched vegetables, mushrooms, and artichokes dry
between 2 to 3 layers of paper towels, applying gentle pressure
to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. (spinach leaves
should be opened out flat to assume original shape)
TO MAKE BATTER:
1) In medium bowl combine eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, parsley, thyme,
tarragon, shallots, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until blended.
(This batter is overseasoned because it will flavor all the
vegetables)
TO ASSEMBLE TERRINE:
1) Generously butter 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Using a triangular-shaped
cut, remove 1 to 2 inches of hard white stem from cabbage leaves
to make leaves more flexible.
2) Line sides, then bottom of pan with cabbage leaf to make leaves,
overlapping the leaves generously to form a "leakproof shell" and
allowing leaves to extend well over the rim of the pan. (The tops
of leaves will be folded over the top of the finished terrine.)
Pour 1/2 cup batter over cabbage in bottom of pan.
3) Arrange asparagus spears lengthwise in pan, packing spears
tightly together. Add 2 layers of red pepper strips placed crosswise
in pan. Pour in a little more batter, pressing peppers down
gently.
4) Layer mushrooms over peppers. Layer carrots lengthwise in pan.
Pour in a little more batter, pressing carrots down gently. (Pressing
each layer down will raise the level of the batter)
5) Layer half the spinach leaves over carrots. Add a layer of
artichoke hearts over spinach, then add a little more batter. Gently
press down artichoke hearts.
6) Top with a layer of remaining spinach leaves, add remaining
batter and pressing down each layer. Fold ends of cabbage leaves
over top of terrine.
7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover loaf pan with buttered
parchment paper cut to fit inside edge of pan. Place loaf pan
in 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Pour hot water around loaf pan to
depth of 1 inch.
8) Bake at 350 degrees F. for two hours until firm. Remove from
water bath. Cool on rack (still covered with parchment paper) 2
hours.
9) Refrigerate, still covered, overnight.
TO MAKE TOMATO SAUCE:
1) In blender, combine chopped tomato, 1/4 cup buttermilk, tomato
paste, cayenne pepper, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Blend until smooth.
TO SERVE:
1) Loosen edges of terrine with knife. Invert on serving platter.
Cut cold terrine in crosswise slices with serrated knife.
2) Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on each serving plate.
Arrange slices of terrine over sauce.

-----