Makes 8 servings
There are some dishes that just stop the show as soon as you bring them to the table, and this is one of them. It’s not fancy and it’s certainly not hard to make or time-consuming to put together, but it’s pretty in a way that says that your host wants to make you happy and feel cared for. That’s how I felt when Christiane L’Heritier served this at a dinner in Paris.
While the mention of a terrine often conjures up images of chunky pâtés made with meat, this one is based on a rich egg-and-cream custard studded with vegetables. Christiane’s showcased zucchini and toasted pine nuts, and yours can too (see recipe). Mine follows her lead, but it has onions, peppers and lots of herbs, a more year-round mix. Christiane passed around a big pitcher of fresh tomato-basil sauce to pour over each serving. It’s a nice but not necessary addition. Like a quiche (my husband calls the terrine a crustless quiche), this dish is good solo or embellished.
Working Ahead
The terrine can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Rub the inside of an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with a little butter or oil. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to use as handles; it’s fine if the short ends of the pan are bare. Butter or oil the paper. Have a roasting pan to hold the terrine at hand.
To make the terrine: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the onion and peppers, season with salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften but do not color, about 8 minutes. Scrape the mix into a bowl. Stir in the scallions and basil or other herbs, season with salt and pepper and let cool for about 5 minutes.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, add the vegetables — leaving behind any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl (it’s important that the vegetables not be wet) — and stir to mix well. Turn the mixture out into the prepared loaf pan. Place the pan in the roasting pan and fill the roaster with enough very hot water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Carefully slide the setup into the oven.
Bake for about 90 minutes, loosely covering the terrine with a foil tent after 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the terrine comes out clean. The terrine will rise a little, and it may crack, and that’s fine. Carefully remove the loaf pan from the roasting pan and transfer it to a rack. Let rest for about 15 minutes before unmolding the terrine: Run a table knife around the sides, unmold it onto a serving platter and peel away the parchment paper.
The terrine is ready to serve when it is just warm, or let cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate it and serve it chilled.
To make the optional sauce: Put the tomatoes and basil in a blender or food processor and whir just a few times. Add the olive oil, if you’d like, season with salt and pepper and pour into a pitcher or a bowl. Serve alongside the terrine.
Storing: Both the terrine and the tomato sauce can be refrigerated tightly covered for up to 3 days.
Choices: The terrine makes a stellar starter, but it could just as rightly be a side dish, or even the main event if you were to add a salad or some well-dressed vegetables. Because it can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled, it’s good picnic fare. Since there’s nothing I like more than an indoor picnic (some people call it a buffet), I often make this terrine part of the spread.
Scrub about 2½ pounds small zucchini, dry them well (don’t peel), trim them and cut into small pieces. Sauté the zucchini, along with 2 chopped shallots (or 1 chopped medium onion), in 2 tablespoons olive oil until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the vegetables in a strainer before adding them to the egg mixture. Toss ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts into the mix before baking.