Grilled Eggplant and Roasted Red Pepper Terrine with Prosciutto Recipe

Brush the eggplant slices lightly with some of the olive oil and grill over a moderate charcoal fire, taking care to make the grill marks on one side uniform and attractive. The eggplant should be cooked to medium doneness and should still be firm when done. (The eggplant may be grilled one day in advance.)

Combine the remaining olive oil and the roasted garlic in a small processor or blender and puree. Reserve. (The puree may be made several days in advance.)

Line the sides and bottom of an 8-by-4-inch [20 10-cm] loaf or terrine pan with eggplant slices, with the grill marks facing out, overlapping the side pieces and letting them hang over the sides, to fold over and enclose the terrine later. Reserve some slices for the top.

Layer the peppers, prosciutto, eggs, and basil leaves to fill the terrine, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper, grated cheese, a drizzle of the garlic puree, and the parsley.

Top with the remaining eggplant slices. Fold over the ends of the overlapping eggplant slices to seal. Gently tap the loaf pan to compact the filling. Reserve. (The terrine may be assembled one day in advance.)

Bake the terrine at 400°F [205°C] for 25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, and the terrine is set. Allow to rest 30 minutes before inverting the terrine to unmold. Reserve any accumulated pan juices.

Slice the terrine with a thin-bladed, sharp knife dipped in hot water, cleaning the blade between slices. Line a plate with field greens and dress the greens with pan juices. Add a slice of the terrine and dust lightly with Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Garnish with red and yellow cherry tomatoes. The terrine may be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.