Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [54]
1 teaspoon stemmed thyme
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings (about 1½ cups)
2 cups packed broccoli florets
1 tablespoon tomato paste, preferably reduced-sodium tomato paste
3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
12/3 cups canned white beans, drained and rinsed
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions, stir well, and reduce the heat to very low. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden and very soft, about 20 minutes; do not let the onions brown—keep the heat very low and stir often.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes, then stir in the thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sliced carrots in a vegetable steamer set over simmering water. Cover and steam until quite soft, about 8 minutes. Place the carrots in the bowl of a food processor or the canister of a large blender.
Fill the steamer basket with the broccoli florets (add more water to the pan, if necessary).
Cover and steam until very soft, about 6 minutes. Drain the florets in a colander set in the sink, then rinse with cool water to spike the bright green color.
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
Pour a third of the onion mixture in the skillet into the food processor or blender canister with the carrots. Add the tomato paste, 1 egg, and 1 egg yolk. Process or blend until smooth.
Pour this carrot mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it to the sides and creating as flat a surface as possible with a rubber spatula. Clean and dry the food processor or blender canister.
Place the white beans in the food processor or blender canister, then add half the remaining onion mixture along with 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl or canister as necessary.
Gently spoon this mixture evenly over the top of the carrot mixture. Smooth it flat, then gently rap the pan against your work surface to release any trapped bubbles and to condense the mixture slightly. Clean and dry the food processor or blender canister.
Place the broccoli florets in the food processor or blender canister. Add the remaining onion mixture, as well as the remaining egg and egg yolk. Process or blend until smooth.
Gently spoon this green mixture into the prepared loaf pan, taking care not to get the white bean mixture mixed into it, but also to create a smooth, flat top without any air pockets. Again, gently rap the pan against your work surface.
Butter a piece of aluminum foil and cover the pan with it, buttered side down. Place the loaf pan in a larger baking dish or roasting pan. Fill the baking dish or roasting pan with hot tap water until it comes halfway up the loaf pan.
Bake until set, about 2 hours. The pâté will rise up slightly and be firm, not jiggly; a flatware knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Remove the pan from the water bath and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
With the foil cover still in place, weight the top of the terrine with a brick covered in plastic wrap or a couple of heavy cans, laying them on their sides. Place these weights directly onto the foil-covered pâté.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, until chilled and firm, or for up to 3 days. To serve, unmold onto a serving platter—a paper towel damp with warm water can help loosen the pâté from the pan when you turn it upside down on the platter.
Variations: Substitute cubed golden beets for the carrots; steam them until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Substitute ½ pound thin, peeled asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch sections, for the broccoli.
Substitute 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all excess moisture, for the broccoli; omit steaming the spinach.
Substitute tarragon for the thyme.
Substitute ground cloves for the nutmeg.
Chopped Liver
We prefer a combination