Chilled Layered Vegetable Loaf with Herbed Gelatin

A chilled, layered vegetable loaf—often called a terrine—makes an elegant starter or light lunch. Here, roasted beets, tender carrots, and delicata squash are arranged in a loaf pan, then bound together with a savory gelatin made from white wine and vegetable stock. Fresh chives add a mild onion note between the layers.

Info

• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Total time: 6 hours
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium beets (about 10 ounces total), trimmed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 delicata squash (8 to 10 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, trimmed, sliced, and thoroughly rinsed
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
• 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives (from about 1 large bunch)
• 4 cups mache or other baby lettuce
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F.
2. Wrap the beets individually in heavy-duty foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast until very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let them steam in the foil for 15 minutes, then peel and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Season generously with salt and pepper and let cool.
3. While the beets roast, trim the squash, halve it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, keeping the skin on. On a baking sheet, toss the squash with the oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roast, turning once, until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
4. In a saucepan, combine the carrots, peppercorns, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a bowl, leaving the pan and cooking liquid behind. Add the wine, leeks, celery, and shallot to the saucepan and return to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the parsley and thyme and simmer for 10 minutes more. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure or heatproof bowl; discard the solids. If the stock exceeds 2 1/2 cups, return it to the saucepan and boil until reduced to 2 1/2 cups. If it falls short, add water. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water and let stand for 1 minute to soften. Add the softened gelatin to the hot stock and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
6. Lightly grease a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch terrine or glass loaf pan with vegetable oil. Line the long sides and bottom with a sheet of plastic wrap, smoothing out wrinkles and leaving at least 2 inches of overhang on each side. Pour about 1/3 cup of the gelatin-stock mixture into the terrine and quick-chill in the freezer until just set, about 10 minutes.
7. Layer the beets in a single layer over the set gelatin, then sprinkle with one-third of the chives. Arrange the carrots on top, leaving small gaps so the gelatin can seep between them and hold the vegetables together. Scatter half of the remaining chives over the carrots, then add a layer of squash. Sprinkle the last of the chives over the squash. Stir the remaining gelatin-stock mixture, reserve 1/2 cup at room temperature, and slowly pour the rest into the terrine, pressing the vegetables down if needed so they are just submerged. Chill uncovered until the top is set, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
8. If the reserved 1/2 cup gelatin has begun to set, warm it just until liquid but not hot, then pour it over the set terrine. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
9. To unmold, run a thin knife along the short sides of the terrine, then invert onto a cutting board, gently pulling the plastic overhang to release; discard the plastic. Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the terrine into 8 slices. Slide a metal spatula under each slice to transfer 1 or 2 slices to plates. Arrange the mache alongside the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the mache and around the plates, then sprinkle with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Serve.
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