Borscht Horseradish Terrine

Ingredients for Borscht Horseradish Terrine

• Vegetable oil for oiling terrine

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cold water, divided

• 25ml unflavored gelatin (from two 5g envelopes), divided

• 120ml soured cream

• 1 tablespoon drained bottled horseradish

• 350ml beef broth

• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

• 1 large garlic clove, smashed

• 1/8 teaspoons hot red-pepper flakes

• 2 whole cloves

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 110g smoked veal tongue or fine-quality smoked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice

• 1 sweet gherkin, finely chopped (2 tablespoons )

• 300ml strained good-quality bottled borscht such as Gold's Russian Style (reserve solids for another use)

• Equipment: a 1-quart rectangular terrine

• Garnish: lettuce leaves or watercress sprigs

How to make Borscht Horseradish Terrine

Lightly oil terrine. Cut a strip of parchment paper to fit in bottom of terrine and up the 2 ends, allowing overhang at each end.

Put 2 teaspoons cold water in a small metal bowl, then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoons gelatin evenly over water. Let stand 1 minute to soften.

Meanwhile, stir together soured cream, horseradish, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/8 teaspoons pepper in a bowl.

Heat softened gelatin in bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring, until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Remove bowl from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons horseradish cream, then stir mixture into remaining horseradish cream until combined well.

Spoon into terrine, smoothing surface, then chill until set, about 10 minutes.

Simmer broth, bay leaf, garlic, red-pepper flakes, cloves, and lemon juice in a 1-quart saucepan, covered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put remaining 2 tablespoons cold water in cleaned small metal bowl, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons gelatin evenly over water. Let stand 1 minute to soften.

Add softened gelatin to broth in saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl, discarding solids. Transfer 120ml broth to cleaned small metal bowl (reserve remaining broth in other bowl). Put small bowl (with 120ml broth) into an ice bath and let stand, stirring gently, until broth is cool and syrupy.

Spoon 60ml cooled broth onto set horseradish cream layer (reserve remaining broth in small bowl at room temperature), then chill terrine until set, about 10 minutes.

Add veal tongue and gherkin to larger quantity of reserved broth in bowl, then put bowl into a large ice bath and stir gently and constantly until mixture has consistency of raw egg whites. Pour mixture onto set broth layer in terrine and chill until set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon remaining 60ml broth in small metal bowl over set tongue layer. (If broth has gelled, re-melt over barely simmering water, then put bowl into large ice bath and let stand, stirring, until cool and syrupy.) Chill terrine until broth layer is set, about 10 minutes.

Stir together borscht liquid, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/8 teaspoons pepper in cleaned 1-quart saucepan. Transfer 2 tablespoons seasoned borscht mixture to cleaned small metal bowl, then sprinkle remaining 2 teaspoons gelatin evenly over mixture. Let stand 1 minute to soften.

Add softened gelatin to borscht mixture in saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer to cleaned small metal bowl. Put bowl in ice bath and stir gently and constantly until consistency of raw egg whites. Spoon over set broth layer and chill terrine at least 4 hours.

Invert a large plate over terrine, then carefully invert terrine onto plate with aid of parchment. Cut terrine into 3/4-inch-thick slices.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.