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2. Place the tomatoes cut side down on a rack set on a small baking sheet. Place the tomatoes in the oven set and turn it on to 90 degrees F./32 degrees C. If you’re unable to set the temperature that low, set it on the lowest setting and leave the oven door slightly ajar. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight to dehydrate.

3. Store the tomatoes covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Yield: 6 tomato halves

AVOCADO AND ARTICHOKE TERRINE WITH POACHED CHICKEN

This summer terrine is colorful, flavorful, light. It combines two vegetable mousses with poached chicken breast, but it can also include chunks of sautéed foie gras, or even chicken liver, if you wish. There are several steps to making the components that go into this terrine, so allow plenty of time to make it. The terrine is excellent with a mâche salad seasoned only with extra virgin olive oil and salt (vinegar would distract from the terrine’s delicate flavors).

THE GARNISH

One 5-ounce/140-gram boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 large tomato (about 8 ounces/200 grams), peeled

1 tablespoon/18 grams minced shallot

1 teaspoon/6 grams minced garlic

1 tablespoon/15 milliliters olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound/450 grams fresh foie gras (optional), cleaned

8 baby spinach leaves

THE ARTICHOKE MOUSSE

3 tablespoons/36 grams powdered gelatin

9 tablespoons/135 milliliters cold water

1 1⁄2 cups/375 milliliters heavy cream

6 large artichoke bottoms, cooked (see page 252), patted dry

THE AVOCADO MOUSSE

2 tablespoons/24 grams powdered gelatin

6 tablespoons/90 milliliters cold water

1 cup/250 milliliters heavy cream

5 avocados, peeled and pitted

1. Poach the chicken in gently simmering stock (see page 228) or water to cover to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F./71 degrees C., being careful not to overcook it. Let it cool, then cut horizontally in half to make two thin cutlets about 3 inches/7.5 centimeters by 4 inches/10 centimeters by 1⁄2 inch/1 centimeter. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Quarter the tomato and slice out the seed and inner flesh so that you are left with tomato “petals.”

3. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat until softened but not browned. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate to cool.

4. If using foie gras, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F./150 degrees C. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Season the foie gras, and brown on all sides. Transfer the foie gras to the oven and roast to an internal temperature of 135 degrees F./55 degrees C. Remove the foie from the pan (reserve the rendered fat for another use), drain on paper towels and allow to cool.

5. To make the artichoke mousse: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow it to absorb the water (bloom).

6. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add the bloomed gelatin and the artichoke bottoms and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pass the mixture through a drum sieve, or tamis, into a bowl. Cover to keep warm, so the gelatin won’t set, and set aside.

7. To make the avocado mousse: Bloom the gelatin as above. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan. Add the avocados and bloomed gelatin and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the gelatin.

8. Transfer to a food processor and puree. Pass the mixture through a drum sieve, or tamis, into a bowl. Cover to keep warm so the gelatin won’t set.

9. To assemble the terrine: Line a 11⁄2-quart/1.5-liter terrine mold with plastic wrap, making sure there are as few wrinkles as possible and leaving enough overhang on the two long sides to cover the filled terrine (moistening the mold first will help the plastic adhere). Using a spatula, spread half the artichoke mousse evenly in the mold. Lay 4 spinach leaves across the top and press down gently so the