Cucumber Terrine Food

SHRIMP TERRINE WITH CUCUMBER, WHIPPED GRAPEFRUIT, AND AVOCADO PUREE

Steps:

• Dice the shrimp and toss with activa, chervil, salt and cayenne to distribute evenly. Place inside a cryovac bag and cook, sous vide-style, at 130 degrees F for 10 minutes. Place in ice bath and slice thinly when completely cooled.
• Place grapefruit juice, agave nectar, versa whip and xanthan gum in a bowl and whisk until it reaches a meringue like texture.
• Place avocado, glucose and lime juice in a blender and process until smooth, slowly drizzle in the olive oil ad season with salt.
• Peel and dice the cucumber into a 1/4-inch dice. Toss with salt, citron vinegar and agave nectar. Place inside a cryovac bag and compress.
• Yield: 4 servings
• Arrange the shrimp on the plate and garnish with remaining components.

CUCUMBER TERRINE

Steps:

• Boil the shrimp for 5 minutes, drain and immerse in cold water. Remove their shells, devein and slice them in half lengthwise. Put the salt, celery seed, pink peppercorns and 4 tablespoons of the lime juice in a bowl and add the Kirby cucumbers. Mix well and allow them to macerate for 2 hours. Strain.
• Juice the large cucumbers in a juice extractor, and scald 1/2 cup of the juice over high heat. Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice and the chives to the cucumber juice that wasn't heated. Stir. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and allow to moisten. Add the heated juice and stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-3-by-3-inch terrine with nonstick vegetable coating. Make a line down the center of the terrine with the shrimp. Spread about a fifth of the sliced Kirbys on top of the shrimp. Cover this layer with some of the gelatin. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Spread another fifth of the cucumbers on top, cover with some more gelatin and refrigerate until set. Repeat with the remaining 3 layers. When set, unmold onto a serving plate and slice.

SALMON AND SPINACH TERRINE WITH CUCUMBER-DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray nonstick spray inside 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 6 minutes. Cool.
• Finely chop salmon and scallops in processor. Add shallot mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. With machine running, gradually add cream and process just until puréed.
• In medium bowl, mix spinach with 1 cup salmon purée. Spread half of remaining purée in pan. Spread spinach mixture over purée in pan. Spread remaining salmon purée over spinach mixture. Cover with buttered waxed paper.
• Place loaf pan in roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1/2 inch up sides of loaf pan. Bake terrine until thermometer inserted into center registers 140°F, about 55 minutes. Transfer loaf pan to rack and cool. Remove waxed paper. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Invert terrine onto platter. Cut crosswise into 12 slices. Transfer 1 slice to each plate. Spoon Cucumber-Dill Sauce alongside. Garnish with dill sprigs.

VEGAN TERRINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add a splash of the vinegar (this seasons the beetroot) followed by the beetroot. Simmer for 45 mins-1 hr, or until the beetroot can be easily pierced with a knife. Drain, leave to cool, then peel.
• Meanwhile, mix the soft cheese, lemon zest, thyme and oregano together. Add the garlic, then season to taste. Cover and chill until needed. Both the beetroot and filling can be prepared up to a day in advance and chilled until needed.
• Lightly oil a 450g loaf tin and line with two layers of baking parchment, leaving enough excess to allow you to cover the top. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the cooked beetroot into 1.5-2mm slices.
• Arrange a thin layer of overlapping beetroot slices in the bottom of the tin. Spoon over a thin layer of the filling, then repeat until everything has been used, finishing with a layer of beetroot slices. Cover, then weigh down the terrine with a piece of card and a couple of cans. Chill overnight.
• For the walnut brittle, line a baking tray with baking parchment and set aside. Toast the walnuts in a small, dry frying pan over a medium heat until they smell nutty. Tip out onto the tray and spread out in an even layer. Return the pan to the heat and sprinkle in the caster sugar. Cook until caramelised, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until you have a deep amber caramel. Carefully pour this over the walnuts, then sprinkle with a large pinch of chilli flakes and sea salt. Leave to cool. Once cool, break the brittle into shards or pulse in a food processor for a finer texture. The walnut brittle can be made a week in advance and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• To serve, unwrap the beetroot terrine and turn out onto a board. Remove the baking parchment and top with the walnut brittle, then slice. Serve with toast and a balsamic-dressed salad, if you like.

COUNTRY TERRINE

Steps:

• Assemble and marinate terrine:
• Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice.
• While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well.
• Pulse chicken livers in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to onion mixture along with ground pork and veal and mix together well with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stir in ham cubes.
• Line bottom and long sides of terrine mold crosswise with about 6 to 9 strips of bacon, arranging them close together (but not overlapping) and leaving a 1/2- to 2-inch overhang. Fill terrine evenly with ground-meat mixture, rapping terrine on counter to compact it (it will mound slightly above edge). Cover top of terrine lengthwise with 2 or 3 more bacon slices if necessary to cover completely, and fold overhanging ends of bacon back over these. Cover terrine with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours to marinate meats.
• Bake terrine:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine tightly with a double layer of foil.
• Bake terrine in a water bath until thermometer inserted diagonally through foil at least 2 inches into center of terrine registers 155 to 160°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Remove foil and let terrine stand in mold on a rack, 30 minutes.
• Weight terrine:
• Put terrine in mold in a cleaned baking pan. Put a piece of parchment or wax paper over top of terrine, then place on top of parchment another same-size terrine mold or a piece of wood or heavy cardboard cut to fit inside mold and wrapped in foil. Put 2 to 3 (1-pound) cans on terrine or on wood or cardboard to weight cooked terrine. Chill terrine in pan with weights until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Continue to chill terrine, with or without weights, at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop.
• To serve:
• Run a knife around inside edge of terrine and let stand in mold in a pan with 1 inch of hot water (to loosen bottom) 2 minutes. Tip terrine mold (holding terrine) to drain excess liquid, then invert a cutting board over terrine, reinvert terrine onto cutting board, and gently wipe outside of terrine (bacon strips) with a paper towel. Let terrine stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then transfer to a platter if desired and cut, as needed, into 1/2-inch-thick slices.