Zucchini Terrine

Photographer: Ditte Isage; Food Stylist: Jee Levin;
Prop Stylist: Heather Chontos

from The New York Times, April 27, 2008 via Sara Barnes

adapted by Anne Halsted

serves 8

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 1/4 pounds (about 4 medium) zucchini, unpeeled

5 tablespoons olive oil

4 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped basil

pinch aniseed

pinch ground cumin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon Kosher salt. Prepare an ice-water bath. Using a small knife or mandoline, slice 2 zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices and drop into the boiling water. Cook for 30 seconds, transfer to the ice bath to cool and drain.

Quarter the remaining zucchini lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the diced zucchini and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not colored, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the cream, basil, aniseed, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2
teaspoon pepper. When the zucchini is cool enough not to cook the eggs, stir it gradually into the egg mixture.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a 2-quart or 4 by 11 by 3-inch terrine crosswise with overlapping zucchini slices. If needed, lay extra zucchini up the sides. Pour the egg mixture into the zucchini-lined terrine. Cover with foil and place in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the terrine. Bake until a knife inserted into the center
comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool until set, about 10 minutes. Before turning out, run a knife along the inside edge of the terrine. Unmold, blotting up excess liquid. Serve warm or cold, sliced.

This is particularly nice served on a red pepper or tomato coulis. We used a 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 by 3-inch terrine and baked for 1 1/2 hours with great results.