Hay Hay It's Donna Day:Red Pepper, Spinach,Mushroom and Asparagus Terrine

I have always wanted to do a terrine.So when I saw the Hay Hay It's Donna Day , hosted by Tami, I decided to give it a shot. The only one I made in life was a precocious 12 year old attempting a country pate en croute from one of my Moms magazines. If I remember it tasted pretty good, but the effort wore me out. That was one of the beginning of my interests in food.I have had this bargain book I purchased from Borders for $2.98 called Terrines and Pates from the Healthy Home Cooking series from Time Life Books.The contributors seem to be all European or Australian and the weights and measures are adapted for both the Australian kitchen and American Kitchen. Needless to say I have never attempted anything from this fascinating bargain find. I just look at the lovely pictures.Terrines and Pates remind me of a bygone era in food. Surprisingly they don't seem to laden with heavy calories.The highest one was for a slice of Venison and Apricot Terrine at around 460 calories a slice. Terrines can be served as either first, main , or dessert courses. And they are really works of art. I choose a combination of two vegetable based terrines in the book. I had shopped with the main components in mind but no specific idea. When I got to work I found my recipes did not require gelatin, like most. I had all the ingredients for one recipe, but wanted to incorporate the Asparagus spears as well.So here's the gist of my terrine.

Red Pepper , Spinach, Mushroom, and Asparagus Terrine adapted from Terrines and Pates / Healthy Home Cooking series.

Approx total calories with Asparagus addition 143

Serves 6

Working Time 1 1/2 hours

Total Time: 7hours 30 min to overnight for chilling and setting

2lb seeded sweet red peppers (I used red,yellow, and orange)

1 tbsp virgin olive oil

4 egg whites

2 oz dry bread crumbs

1 1/2 lbs sliced mushrooms I used Herbs De Provence as a

1 tsp chopped fresh basil substitute for the herbs listed

1 tsp fresh marjoram or 1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp fresh oregano or 1/4 dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

12 oz fresh spinach ( I used defrosted , drained frozen)

8 asparagus spears

Steam asparagus spears for approx 10 min.Set aside.

Dice one red pepper and set aside. Roughly chop the remaining peppers and cook them in some of the olive oil until tender.About 10 min. Cool the peppers slightly, then puree. Add two of the egg whites and half breadcrumbs and puree again until combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the rest of the olive oil and cook mushrooms until tender, approx 5 min.Increase heat and continue to cook until all moisture is evaporated( another 10 min). Allow to cool and puree. Add the remaining egg whites ,breadcrumbs, and herbs. Process and set aside.

Blanch spinach for 1 min in boiling water. Drain and allow to dry on paper towels for all ,moisture to be absorbed.

Preheat oven to 425 and line loaf pan( non reactive) with parchment paper.Line the spears side by side with each one alternating for design.

Sprinkle half of the chopped red pepper over spears. Take half of red pepper puree an spread evenly. Sprinkle some spinach mixture over as the next layer. Take all of mushroom mixture and spread. Spread rest of spinach.Sprinkle remaining chopped red peppers. Spread rest of red pepper puree and smooth top. cover with nonstick parchment paper and cook for 50 min to 1 hours. Test to see if done if knife comes out clean. Allow terrine to cool in pan and chill in the refrigerator at least 7 hours or overnight. Turn out terrine on a flat serving dish and peel off lining paper. Cut into slices and serve.

* I cooked mine in a water bath in the oven with the pan resting in a another pan of water.

You can serve this healthy terrine dressed with vinaigrette and lettuce leaves.