Summer Terrine

2¼ pounds small to medium zucchini

1 tablespoon coarse salt

5 tablespoons olive oil

4 eggs

Scant 1 cup heavy cream

1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped

Pinch of green aniseed

Pinch of ground cumin

Salt and pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, slice two zucchini lengthwise into thin strips, cutting as far as the core.

Bring a pan of water to a boil and stir in the salt. Add the zucchini strips and blanch for 15 seconds, then drain and refresh in iced water. Drain again.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the remaining zucchini in four lengthwise and remove the cores, then dice. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the diced zucchini and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened but not colored.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the cream, basil, aniseed and cumin, stir in half the diced zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining diced zucchini to the mixture.

Line a terrine with overlapping zucchini strips and add the zucchini mixture. Cover the terrine, put it into a roasting pan, pour in boiling water to come about halfway up the sides and bake for about 40 minutes, until the tip of the knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve the terrine warm or cold.

Serves six.

"Terrine" by Stéphane Reynaud (2007 Phaidon Press, $29.95)