So you’re hosting a festive shindig in December and there are vegetarians in the crowd – or maybe the vego is you? You want to put on a good centrepiece but you’re not feeling the nut loaf vibes. What to do?
Festive catering for vegetarians is far easier in the northern hemisphere, where you can whack on a big chunk of pumpkin or stuff some peppers, and let them bake away while you roast the chestnuts and mull the wine.
But in Australia, things can get schvitzy around this time of year. After the ham has been glazed and the pav baked, you’ll be forgiven for wanting to stay well away from any oven, stove or other kitchen heat source.
So if you’re looking for a festive dish to make ahead of time, one that requires very little actual “cooking” and will have even the staunchest carnivores reaching for a slice, say hello to my vegeterrine!
Think of this as an antipasti apartment high-rise, where instead of spreading store-bought antipasti on a platter like a suburban sprawl, you stack the ingredients in a terrine dish (or loaf tin), cemented with creamy, dreamy jarred-artichoke dip that sets and binds the layers overnight in the fridge. On the big day simply slice and serve your sensational savoury stack, complete with its own Christmassy colour scheme.
Head to your local continental grocer or independent supermarket to find the best quality roasted veg in the deli section, ideally in olive oil. If you can’t find grilled zucchini there, you can grill your own. Heat a barbecue or griddle plate until smoking. Using a mandoline, slice five to six medium zucchini lengthways into long, 3mm-thin strips. Pop on the barbecue (no oil needed) until tiger stripes form on the underside, then flip and allow to shrivel and soften so they’re still pliable, without drying out. Leave to cool before using. Of course, you’re welcome to roast your own eggplant and capsicum slices too, if you’d prefer.
A note on the pesto: check your cheese. There’s nothing worse for vegetarians than digging into a dish they thought was “safe” only to discover it contains parmigiano reggiano, which is traditionally made with an animal rennet. Look for parmesan-style cheeses with a non-animal rennet. To make this fully plant-based, swap the cheese for a tablespoon of nutritional yeast, and the cream cheese for cashew cheese or another vegan substitute.
This dish also wins points as a terrif traveller. Leave the terrine in its tin, pack the pesto in one container, lemon wedges in another, and the chopped cherry tomatoes and picked basil leaves in another, and bring along your serving platter. At your destination, release your terrine and dress before serving. Then you – and your fellow dining companions – can veg out.
Antipasti vegeterrine – recipe
The terrine can be made up to two days ahead, but make the pesto on the day for best results.
Serves 6 to 8
For the artichoke cream
250g cream cheese, softened
170g jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 garlic clove, peeled
Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
For the terrine
Approximately 30 grilled zucchini strips (if you can’t find them, see above to grill your own)
5 large (or 8 medium) pieces of store-bought roasted eggplant
700g store-bought roasted red capsicum halves
80g semi sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (½ cup)
For the basil pesto
½ bunch basil, with some leaves reserved for garnish
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
20g hard cheese, such as pecorino or “parmesan-style”, finely grated (¼ cup)
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
60ml extra-virgin olive oil (¼ cup)
To serve
250g cherry tomatoes, halved (if available, choose a punnet of mixed-colour tomatoes)
Fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges, to serve
Line a 20cm x 10cm loaf or terrine tin with baking paper or cling wrap, ensuring it covers the base and drapes over the sides of the tin, with enough overhang to make a lid later.
To make the artichoke cream, in a food processor blitz the cream cheese, artichokes, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
To assemble the terrine, layer the zucchini slices on the base to cover, then drape more slices along the sides to form an overhang.
Spread a thin layer of artichoke cream over the zucchini slices to help stick the slices together. Add a layer of roasted red capsicum (it doesn’t need to hang over the side), followed by another thin schmear of artichoke cream. Repeat with half the eggplant slices (you may need to trim the slices to help them fit), and another thin layer of cream.
Scatter sundried tomatoes across the middle, and then follow with capsicum, cream, eggplant and a final layer of cream.
Fold the overhanging zucchini into the tin to encase the layers. Cover with the overhanging baking paper or cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
On the day of serving, make the pesto. In a food processor, whiz the basil, pine nuts, cheese and garlic. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (You can do this in a mortar and pestle too, if you need some calming clobbering.)
To serve, remove the tin from the fridge and open up the overhanging baking paper. Place a large serving platter upside down, on top of the terrine tin. Carefully invert the platter and tin in one go, so the terrine is on top. Remove the tin, letting the terrine fall away from the mould, and remove the baking paper.
Liberally spoon the pesto over the terrine. Alternatively, use a sharp knife to cut the terrine into thick slices, and spoon the pesto around the slices.
Garnish with cherry tomato halves, basil leaves and a flick of extra-virgin olive oil. Finish with salt flakes and freshly ground pepper, and serve with lemon wedges.
