Vegetable Terrine Served on a Bed of Linguini

Vegetable Terrine takes a lot of time to prepare, but it is well worth the effort. It is as colorful and impressive as it is tasty. We like to serve it on a bed of linguini with a salad and Whole Wheat French Bread.
Allow 1 hour and 45 minutes for baking and cooling time. You may prepare vegetables in advance, but it is best to assemble the terrine right before baking it. If prepared vegetables have been refrigerated, bring them to room temperature before assembling, or it may take longer to bake.

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 sweet red bell peppers
• 1 large bunch spinach, cleaned thoroughly and destemmed
• salt to taste
• 1 medium leek
• 1 medium parsnip
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (baby Swiss or Jarlsberg or soy mozzarella)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup half and half or soy milk
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Deseed and thinly slice red bell peppers. Saute lightly in 2 teaspoons olive oil; set aside.
2.  Measure out 6 cups of cleaned spinach by lightly packing in a large measuring cup. Briefly steam and then chop, salt lightly, and set aside in a colander to drain. Before assembling spinach in the terrine, squeeze spinach gently to extract as much water as possible.
3.  Clean the leek. Cut it in half and slice thinly. You should have 3/4 cup. Saute lightly in 2 teaspoons olive oil. Set aside to cool.
4. Peel and grate the parsnip. You should have 3/4 cup. Saute lightly in 2 teaspoons olive oil, stirring often to keep it from sticking to the pan. Set aside to cool.
5.  When leek and parsnip are cool, combine them with the grated cheese.
6.  Preheat oven to 375°.
7. Saute garlic in remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
8. Combine eggs, half and half or soy milk, tomato paste, salt and pepper, and sauteed garlic in a blender. Blend until smooth.
9. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line with wax or parchment paper. Generously brush the paper with butter or oil.
10. Spread spinach in the bottom of the pan, and press evenly in place. Pour in just enough egg mixture to barely cover the spinach.
11. Next, spread a layer of grated carrots and pour in just enough egg mixture to barely cover them.
12. Then, spread a layer of the leek-parsnip-cheese mixture. Again, pour in just enough egg mixture to barely cover the layer.
13. Finish with the red bell peppers. Drain any liquid that may remain from sauteing them. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the peppers.
14.  Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil. Set the assembled terrine in a larger pan filled with hot water. It is best if the water reaches at least halfway up the outside of the loaf pan.
15.  Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.
16.  Remove from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes before unmolding. To turn out terrine, run a knife around the outside of the wax paper and invert pan onto a platter. Remove the pan and peel away the paper.
17.  Serve terrine on a bed of pasta or rice. Dress pasta well with olive oil, garlic, and salt and freshly ground pepper.