Vegetarian carrot rillettes recipe
Often served as a starter or light snack, traditional rillettes are a delicacy of shredded, slow-cooked meat – typically pork or duck – that's mixed with fat to create a spreadable paste. But there's nothing meaty about this version.
Fresh from the pages of culinary school Ferrandi Paris' new cookbook, Charcuterie: Pâtés, Terrines, Savory Pies, this modern twist on the French classic uses carrots instead of meat for a sumptuous veggie spread everyone can enjoy.
Serve with toasted bread slices or multi-seed crackers for a delicious dinner party nibble, or even a fancy lunch.
Please note: This recipe calls for piment d’Espelette, a French pepper variety. If you can't find it, paprika is a good substitute.
This recipe needs to be chilled for at least 24 hours before serving, and can be refrigerated for up to three days.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select 'Cups'.
Ingredients
- 400 g carrots
- 1 shallot
- 1 1 cm (0.5 in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 200 ml carrot juice
- 100 g peanut butter or tahini
- 1 lime, juiced
- 100 g ricotta
- 40 g rolled oats
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 pinch Piment d’Espelette (or paprika), to taste
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
- 1 handful microgreens, to garnish
Details
- Cuisine: French
- Recipe Type: Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 45 mins
- Cooking Time: 10 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Peel and rinse the carrots, then grate them using a grater with large holes.
- Peel and finely chop the shallot. Grate the ginger using a small, rasp-style grater such as a Microplane (you should have about half a teaspoon).
- Place the grated carrots, shallot and ginger in a saucepan and add the carrot juice.
- Cook over a low heat until the vegetables are tender, then remove and let cool.
- In a bowl, combine the peanut butter or tahini with the lime juice, ricotta and oats.
- Add the cooled carrot mixture, coriander (cilantro) and mint. Season with piment d’Espelette (or paprika) and salt.
- Stir lightly until well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
- Cover and chill for 24 hours before serving.
- Garnish with microgreens and serve with toasted bread slices or multi-seed crackers.
Recipe adapted from Charcuterie: Pâtés, Terrines, Savory Pies by Ferrandi Paris (Flammarion, 2023). Photography by Rina Nurra.
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