STARTERS: This is a nice treat for vegetarians who enjoy pate as a first course.

VEGETABLE TERRINE:

                                   

veggie mix:

    2 bags fresh spinach, 10oz. each

    3 leeks, white part only, chopped                           

    1 large onion, finely chopped

    2 stalk celery of equal size and shape                                             

    1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped    

1 tbsp. each chopped basil and parsley leaves

1 tsp tomato paste.

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste + pinch nutmeg

5 eggs                                                                         

2 tbsp. butter

½ pint whipping cream                                               

4 garlic cloves, minced                                               

¼ cup cognac                                                                                                  

Wash spinach well, removing coarse and discoloured leaves. Cook spinach with the water clinging to it in a large pan until the leaves are wilted. Drain and squeeze as much liquid out of the leaves as possible. Chop coarsely, place in a bowl and sprinkle with half the lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg. When cooled, stir in 2 lightly beaten eggs. Set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a heavy pan. Add leeks and onion and cook gently over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and continue cooking for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid and allow the vegetables to absorb the cream to form a thin paste. Melt remaining butter in another heavy pan and add in garlic. Cook over low heat 1 to 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cognac, and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and mixture forms a thin paste. Add tomato paste and stir it in well. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add in the leek and onion mixture together with the remaining 3 eggs, lightly-beaten, parsley and chopped basil.

Butter a 1-quart terrine mould and line the base with well-greased foil. Cover bottom with half the spinach and pour in 2/3 of the tomato-leek mixture. Cut celery stalks to length of terrine. Stuff one celery with a little of the spinach mixture, and place the other, rounded side up, on top of it. Place this, lengthwise, in the centre of the vegetable mixture,  pushing gently into the mixture until it is completely submerged.

Pour on the rest of the tomato-leek mixture; then top everything with the remaining spinach.  Leave some space at the top of the mould to allow for expansion.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover the mould with foil and place it in a large roasting pan containing boiling water coming up to half height of the mound. Transfer baking pan to oven and bake 2 hours. Fill pan with more boiling water when necessary and do not allow pan to go dry.  At the end of cooking time, check that spinach mixture is set and firm. Return to oven and cook longer if it is still runny.

When done, cool completely on wire-rack. Chill thoroughly in the fridge and turn out onto a serving platter.  Cut into serving slices to serve with toasts or crackers.