CHRISTIANE’S DINNER-PARTY TERRINE

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.

For the terrine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped, rinsed and patted dry

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and finely chopped

Fine sea salt

5 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1 cup (40 grams) chopped fresh basil or a mix of herbs

Freshly ground pepper

9 large eggs

1¾ cups (420 ml) heavy cream

For the sauce (optional)

4 large or 6 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

A handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, if you’d like

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

WOR K I NG A H E A D

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 M A K E T H E T E R R I N E : 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 M A K E T H E O P T I O N A L S A U C E : 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.

S TO R I N G : Both the terrine and the tomato sauce can be refrigerated tightly

covered for up to 3 days.

C H O I C E S : 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 welldressed

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.

ZUCCHINI AND PINE NUT TERRINE

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.

Playing Around

Any vegetables that you might use to make a quiche can be used in this terrine.

Think sautéed leeks, mushrooms or asparagus, for instance. If you’d like, you can

use those quiche classics, cubes of ham or bacon. The key is to drain any sautéed

ingredients well before adding them to the egg mixture.