Celeriac Terrine With Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

This recipe can be used to make a large portion for brunch or a smaller portion as an appetizer.

Celeriac terrine

• 1½ lb celeriac
• 1 oz butter
• 5 oz strong Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbsp snipped chives
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp celery salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cherry tomatoes, parsley and chives for garnish

Red pepper sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 small onions, finely sliced
• 2 red peppers
• 5 fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt
• ¼ tsp hot sauce - Frank's Red Hot, Tabasco, etc. (optional)
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the terrine and while it is cooking prepare the red pepper sauce

Celeriac Terrine

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325℉.
2. There are two ways to prepare the terrine: (1) Grease and line a 1 lb loaf tin with a piece of non-stick parchment paper to cover the base and extend up the short sides. Grease again. (2) Grease individual terrines lightly inside then coat with fine bread crumbs.
3. Steam or boil the celeriac until tender: usually 12-15 minutes. Drain the celeriac and place in a bowl.
4. Add the butter to the celeriac and mash, but don’t purée because some texture is good in this dish. Mix in the grated Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, the chives, eggs and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the mixture into the large tin or the terrines and level to the top. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the terrine feels firm to the touch, is golden-brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. When the terrine is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes or so before slipping a knife around the edges to loosen, then turn it out onto a warm plate.

Red Pepper Sauce*

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, put in the onions and cook over a gentle heat with the pan lid on for about 10 minutes until the onions are softened but not browned. Meanwhile, wash the peppers and cut into rough pieces.
2. Add the peppers to the onions, cover the pan again and cook gently for a further 5-10 minutes until the peppers are thoroughly cooked.
3. Pour in the stock. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
4. Liquidize the sauce in a blender, strain through a sieve or tamis into a clean saucepan. If sauce is not thick enough, simmer to reduce.
5. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and optional hot sauce to taste. Reserve butter.
   

Assembly

1. Just before serving, reheat the sauce. Take off the heat and whisk in the cold butter, a little at a time, to make the sauce glossy. Stir in the heavy cream.
2. Serve the terrine with the sauce and garnish with halved cherry tomatoes, sprigs of parsley and small strips of chives.
3. For brunch, serve along with some cooked green vegetables like green beans or broccoli.

* - for a quicker sauce, replace the red pepper sauce with ajvar. Purée in a blender adding water or stock if too thick; finish as above.

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Additions to the above recipe:

1. Make a thick purée of sun dried tomato and pipe on top of plated dish.
2. Reduce some balsamic vinegar to a syrup stage and squeeze a small amount on top.
3. Add parsley, tomato or red pepper tuile.