Vegetable and Goat Cheese Terrine {#TheRecipeReDux}

I’ve wanted to make a vegetable and goat cheese terrine for a very long time. It’s been listed on my “recipes to make” list but I’ve always put it off. This month’s Recipe ReDux (and the mandolin slicer in my kitchen) provided the perfect excuse to finally make one:

Get Your Fruits and Veggies in Shape: With produce galore, now’s a great time to enjoy lots of fruits and vegetables. Show us how you’re serving the bounty of gardens and orchards in creative cuts and shapes like ribbons, noodles, cut-outs, etc.

My experiment in terrine making

Instead of assembling the terrine in a loaf pan and slicing it, I decided to use 4 inch ring molds and make individual servings. This recipe from Emeril Lagasse served as a guide to choosing the vegetables and assembling the terrines. You could mix and match depending on what’s available at the market and in your pantry. I bought eggplant, cherry tomatoes and butternut squash for the fresh side and used canned roasted red peppers and frozen spinach from the pantry side. This, plus the cheese filling, was plenty for the two ring molds. I had some leftovers, but not enough to completely fill a loaf pan.

To cut down on the overall fat, I roasted the tomatoes and squash without oil on parchment paper. The eggplant was cooked in a grill pan treated with a minimal spray of oil. Finally, the goat cheese was mixed with lower fat ricotta like cheese (called requesón) and herbs. I’m curious to try again with cashew cheese. Now that I’ve made the first one I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Other vegetables to try include: cucumber, zucchini and summer squash, cut into ribbons or rounds, asparagus, corn, peas, beets and tender greens.

You’ll want to assemble the terrine a day before it’s to be served. It needs to sit, refrigerated, with a weight to squeeze everything together and let all the flavors mix. I cut two cardboard circles to fit my molds and covered them with foil. A standard can fit perfectly on top to provide the weight. The same could be done to fit a loaf pan. You’ll be surprised at the amount of liquid that is pressed out of the vegetables. Despite my fears, the tomatoes and peppers didn’t “stain” the other layers, but I wonder about beets…

This was definitely an experiment for me but I’m glad I tried it. If I do it again, I will use a loaf pan. It would be nice to get beautiful distinct layers.

I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious and filling the terrine was. I had difficulty cutting it without disturbing the layers, but that was a minor worry, all things considered. We had ours with a light Summer soup but a terrine is more commonly served as a starter. Feel free to experiment with your fillings, keeping in mind that you can save yourself some effort by using frozen or canned staples.

Vegetable and Goat Cheese Terrine

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 0

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant cut into 1/4 inch slices (I used a mandolin to do this)
• 1 - 2 whole roasted red peppers I used canned
• 1 small butternut squash cut into 1/4 inch slices
• handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 bag frozen spinach steamed and squeezed dry (could also use fresh)

For the filling

• 2-3 ounces goat cheese room temperature
• 4 ounces ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh or dried herbs to taste: try basil thyme, parsley or mint alone or in combination (I used thyme)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat. Gather the ring molds and tops and arrange on a tray covered with parchment paper.
• Arrange the sliced vegetables on the tray, sprinkle or spray with a small amount of water and roast until tender. Turn and repeat the spray if needed.
• If desired, cook the eggplant on a grill pan in order to add marks.
• Mix the filling and set aside while the vegetables are roasting and cooling.
• Arrange all the vegetables and the filling within reach and put the layers together to create the terrine. For each ring mold, I used the eggplant on the outside, allowing the slices to drape over the sides. Then I trimmed the butternut squash to fit the mold and act as the top of my terrine. The other ingredients were layered in a way that was pleasing to me.
• When the terrine is full, fold the eggplant slices over, trimming to enclose the terrine. Cover with the foil wrapped circle and place the tray in the fridge. Place a large can on top of each terrine to act as a weight.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, remove the mold and, if necessary, invert the terrine on a plate. Cut into slices or wedges, whichever is easier.

Like this recipe?Be sure to Pin It for later!

Be sure to drop by and visit the other Recipe ReDux bloggers to see how they’ve responded to this month’s challenge. If you’d like to learn more about the group, click on the logo in the left sidebar.