Scallop & Green Bean Terrine
Submitted by jgrant142
Scallop and green bean terrine is a French mousse of pureed scallops and creme fraiche folded with blanched green beans, baked in a water bath and served with tomato coulis.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsScallop and green bean terrine is a French bistro showpiece, the sort of dish a proper home cook pulls out for a milestone dinner. The technique traces straight back to classical French terrine-making: a silky fish mousse set with egg white and cream, baked gently in a water bath, then sliced and gratineed with Parmesan.
The mousse starts with 10 ounces of sea scallops pureed with an egg white, salt, white pepper, and a hint of fresh nutmeg in the food processor. Chilling for a full hour firms the puree before the crème fraîche gets beaten in. That chill is not optional. Warm puree breaks when you add cold cream; cold puree stays emulsified and fluffy. The bowl sits in ice water while you beat in a cup of crème fraîche, quarter cup at a time, until the mousse is light and holds its shape.
Blanched green beans fold in for contrast (color, crunch, and a break from the rich mousse). The terrine bakes covered in a water bath at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes, then cools. Each slice gets a buttered-and-Parmesan top and a final 400°F (205°C) gratin bake until puffed. The sauce is warm tomato coulis thinned with the remaining crème fraîche.
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold. The puree chill, the ice-water bath during mousse beating, the cream itself. Warmth is the enemy of a proper mousseline.
- Blanch the beans only 6 minutes then drain hot and shock in ice water immediately. This locks in their bright green and stops the cook.
- Water-bath baking is a must for even cooking. Fill the pan two-thirds up the terrine with hot water, and cover with buttered waxed paper plus foil so the top doesn’t dry.
- Cool 30 minutes before slicing so the mousse fully sets. Warm mousse slices ragged; cooled mousse slices clean.
Variations
- Shrimp-scallop blend: Substitute half the scallops with raw peeled shrimp for a more complex seafood flavor.
- Herb mousse: Fold 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or chives into the mousse before the beans.
- Carrot ribbons: Swap the green beans for blanched thin carrot ribbons for an orange-and-ivory color play.
Ingredients
Directions
In a food processor with a metal blade, purée the scallops with the egg white, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
Transfer the purée to a metal bowl and chill, covered, for 1 hour.
In a saucepan, blanch the green beans in boiling salted water to cover, for 6 minutes.
Drain. Toss the beans with 1 tablespoon butter, season them with salt and white pepper to taste and reserve.
Set the bowl of purée in a larger bowl of ice water.
Beat in 1 cup of creme fraiche, ¼ cup at a time, until it is incorporated and the mousse is fluffy.
Fold in the green beans and spoon the mousse into a buttered 1 quart terrine. Place terrine in a baking pan and add enough hot water to reach ⅔ the way up the side of the terrine.
Bake, covered with a buttered sheet of wax paper and the lid or a double layer of foil, in a preheated 375℉ (190℃). oven for 45 minutes.
Remove terrine from pan, remove lid and paper, and let cool for at least 30 minutes.
Cut into 6 slices and arrange slices in a buttered gratin dish just large enought to hold them in one layer.
Spread some of the remaining butter lightly over each slice and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in a preheated 400℉ (200℃) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are hot and puffed slightly.
In a saucepan, combine the tomato coulis and the remaining creme fraiche.
Heat the sauce over moderate heat, stirring, until it is heated through.
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