Finally getting back into the recipes. I have been slacking lately with the addition of my son and traveling, I've got about 11 recipes I need to catch up on. Here is a classic french preparation normally done with an array of meats. Since Eloise and Jp are really going more vegetarian in the last year or so, I find myself trying different outlets for vegetables. Here is a great example of taking some ordinary vegetables and trying to make it extraordinary. I had broccoli greens, celery root, butternut squash, and leeks. It was all layered with truffle butter and finish with a nasturtium cream. Pretty straight forward with the recipe. Basically a bunch of vegetables are cooked in a terrine or loaf pan, wrapped in pastry and baked until done. Served warm or cold. Here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy
1 lb bread flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 oz of salt
1 tsp of sugar
4 oz of cold butter
1 egg
2 tsp of cider vinegar
8 oz of milk
Vegetables
1 large butternut squash sliced thin (1/16 thick)
2 bunches of broccoli greens blanched
3 large stalks of leeks cut in half, washed, and blanched for 30 seconds
1 large celery root sliced thin (1/16 thick)
2 oz of nasturtium pedals blanched
1 cup of spinach leaves blanched
10 oz creme fraiche
Salt to taste
4 tbsp of truffle butter (1 lb of butter, 2 oz of fresh truffles, 1 tbsp of truffle oil, salt )
Nasturtium pedals and flowers to garnish
For the Pate En-croute dough
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. The add the butter and mix well using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly . Finally add the mix and knead until a smooth dough is formed but not sticky ( about a minute or two) Then place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Then take out of the refrigerator and roll the dough out until it between and 1/8 and 1/16 inch thick. Use extra flour if need be if the dough is sticking to your surface.
Take your terrine pan or loaf pan and measure the size. You want to leave about an 1 inch to 1 1/2 overhang of the dough in the pan that way you can cover the en-croute once it is filled. Line your terrine with the dough.
Vegetables, (note, You might need to trim the edges of the butternut and celery root so they fit nicely into the terrine mold)
Then take your butternut squash a place a layer of on the bottom of the pate in the terrine mold. Season with salt and pepper and place a tsp of truffle butter on top. Then add the celery root and repeat the same steps. Then the blanched broccoli leaves, and then the leeks. Start back at the beginning with the butternut squash and keep repeating all these steps until you filled the terrine mold about a 1/2 inch above the top lip of the terrine. Then fold the ends over of the dough on top of the vegetables, and then the sides of the dough on top to seal up the terrine. Take tiny cookie cutter and cut a hole in the top of the dough for steam to escape. Brush the dough with egg and place in a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn down to 350 and cook for another 45-50 minutes. Take out and let it cool to room temperature
Nasturtium Cream,
Simply add blanched nasturtium and spinach leaves along with 4 oz of creme fraiche into a blender and puree until smooth and bright green, strain. Whip the remaining creme fraiche until medium peaks and then strain in the puree. Season with salt and set aside.
To finish
Simply slice the pate loaf and place on a plate. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sea salt. Add a little nasturtium creme on the side. Garnish with a little flower and pedal. Serve and enjoy!
