Ratatouille Terrine

I made this at the weekend to go with cold roast chicken


It tasted gorgeous, you could have it as a starter or as a buffet dish & it can be made a couple of days ahead.





Serves 6-8 Appetizer/Side
Prep Time 25 mins
Ingredients

* 3 Large bell peppers, red, orange and yellow, deseeded and roasted
* 1 Large aubergine (eggplant)
* 2 Large courgettes (zucchini)
* 4 Tbsp Olive oil
* Rock salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 15 fl oz Passata
* 2 Tbsp Gelatine

Method

* Heat the grill/broiler
* Cut the peppers into quarters, lengthways this makes it easier to remove the skin once you've charred them. Take out the stalks and deseed
* Push the peppers down firmly on the grill rack to ensure all the skin is exposed to the heat, grill on high until the skins are black
* Set aside until cool, then peel off the black skin
* Or you can put the peppers straight into a plastic bag, seal and leave for 15 minutes to sweat, then peel, your choice
* Lay a sheet of aluminium foil on the rack
* Slice the courgettes lengthwise, about 1/4″ thick
* Lay on the foil and baste with 2 Tbsp olive oil, both sides and season
* Grill until golden, 3 minutes each side
* Set aside
* Slice the aubergine lengthways, and repeat the procedure
* Grease a 9”x5”x2 ½’’ loaf tin, then lay clingfilm (plastic wrap) against the bottom and side with extra hanging out from the sides.
* Put the Passata in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatine over the top. Dissolve while stirring over low heat. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
* Put a layer of roasted peppers down in the prepared loaf pan. Spread 2 tablespoons of passata/gelatine mixture on top. Place a layer of courgette/zucchini on top with another 2 tablespoons of passata/gelatine. Place a layer of eggplant on top and more passata/gelatine. Continue layering until you finish the vegetables.
* Any remaining passata/gelatine mixture pour over the top, and give a gently shake to the tin, just to make sure the passata is dispersed evenly
* Cover up with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate to set, at least 4 hours

Cook's tips

* Can be made a day or two in advance

Equipment

* Small saucepan
* 9”x5”x2 ½” deep, loaf tin
* Clingfilm

Shopping List

* 3 Large bell peppers, red orange and yellow
* 1 Large aubergine (eggplant)
* 2 Large courgettes (zucchini)
* 4 Tbsp Olive oil
* Rock salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 15 fl oz Passata
* 2 Tbsp Gelatine

Ver interesting dish it looks so different. Have you ever tried a Moroccan dish called Spicy Eggplant and Tomato Salad? It is quite easy to prepare and also very delicious eaten cold or hot!

I do not use near as much cilantro as the recipe calls for just a few leaves is all. If you like salsa from Mexican restaurants I imagine you will like this although it is not nearly as hot. In case you do not know Cumin is a spice used in like making Chili and alot of mexican dishes it is not hot, and is used quite a bit in Moroccan cooking.

I found this to be more on the order of a salsa rather than the salads we are accustomed to, but extremely delicious and full of flavor, I love eggplant so it was perfect for an eggplant lover! If you do not like hot & spicy use less Harissa Paste and it will give the flavor with-out so much heat.

2 Lg. Eggplants
4 Lg. Tomatoes (skinned and chopped to a pulp)
6 1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 - 3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. Moroccan Harissa Paste -***I will list the recipe for this***
a small bunch of flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. freshly roasted cumin seeds, roasted and ground (I use my ground cumin I already have on hand)
bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and bake for 30 about min's. or until soft when you press them with a finger. Put the tomatoes in an oven proof dish, pour over 1/2 the olive oil and pop them in the oven with the eggplants. Remove the eggplants and tomatoes and let cool until cool enough to handle. Using a sharp cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the pulp and chop it to a pulp.

Heat the rest of the olive oil in a heavy-based skillet, add the garlic and saute until it begins to color, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and Harissa and cook over a med. heat for 5 - 8 minutes, until thick and pulpy. Add the eggplants, parsley, and cilantro. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Tip into a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature with a dusting of roasted cumin and chunks of bread.

****Harissa Paste****

8 Dried red chiles (Horn or New Mexico deseeded)
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground corriander
1/4 cup olive oil

Makes roughly 4 tbsp. ****(a little goes a long way)****

Place chiles in a bowl and cover with warm water, let soak for 1 hour. Drain & squeeze out excess water. Using a mortar and pestle, pound them to a paste with the garlic and salt (or whizz them in an electric mixer). Beat in the cumin and corriander and bind with the olive oil.

Store the Harrisa Paste in a sealed jar in the refergerator with a thin layer of olive oil poured on top. Keeps well for approx. 1 month.

Recipe From: Flavors of Morocco cookbook

No I haven't tried that Cathy, but I'm willing to give it a go at the weekend, thank you x

Lesley that looks way to beautiful to eat.