Vogue publishes articles about food. Who knew? My friend Liz sent me this recipe by Hemsley + Hemsley for a beet, goat cheese and garlic herb terrine, and it only took me a moment to understand why it would be featured. In addition to being tasty (my number one criteria for posting), it's an incredibly beautiful and très chic dish. Between the jewel tone ombre effect, specks of fresh green herbs, and the clean lines, it's a dish that is sure to impress. 

Most importantly, the goat cheese mixture reminds me of good ol' Alouette. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I recommend making a pit stop at your local supermarket.  My middle school self would recommend a wheat thin pairing. The garlic and herb flavoring of this cheese  is equally as fitting for a terrine as it would be on a sandwich or as a dip. 

A terrine was new territory for me, but I think it's a great party trick that you can easily add to your repertoire. This bright dish would be a great addition to an Easter menu, baby shower, or if you're really good at planning in advance, maybe even Mother's Day brunch. Use it as a starter, or even a main and serve it with a light bright salad.

Tasty for the palate and easy on the eyes. Now onto the recipe...

Beet, Goat Cheese and Garlic Herb Terrine  

Hemsley + Hemsley for Vogue UK

Ingredients:

• 4 purple beets, about 300g
• 4 golden or any other color beet, about 300g 
• 2 tablespoon freshly snipped chives
• 2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 400g goats cheese
• sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Line a 1lb loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5") with parchment paper or plastic wrap, leaving enough hanging over the sides so that you can cover the terrine when the tin is full.

2. Scrub the beets, then place in a pan, cover with water, pop on the lid and cook for about 30-40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool, then peel.

3. Meanwhile, mix all the herbs and garlic with the goats cheese in a bowl and season to taste. 

4. Slice the cooked beets into various thicknesses ranging from .1 - .2 inch. 

5. Put a layer of golden beets along the bottom of the tin, followed by a thin layer of the garlic and herb goat cheese mix. Do this for 6 layers of each, so you have 12 layers in total, and then start on the purple beetroot and cheese layers until you reach the top.

* Note: Spreading the goat cheese proved to be particularly challenging for me. Instead of scooping it in and spreading each layer out, place it in a plastic bag and snip off a corner. Piping the cheese spread seems like a much easier path. Also, between slicing my beets a tad too thick and having slightly under the required amount, I ended up with only 3 layers of each color. 

6. Pull the parchment paper or plastic wrap over so all the terrine is covered. Place a weight on top of the tin and leave in the fridge overnight or for 8 hours to set. Note: I think parchment will leave much cleaner lines on the finished product. 

7. Cover the set terrine with a plate and turn upside down to remove the terrine. Slice and serve or refrigerate the terrine until needed. 

Enjoy!