COLE'S COOKING A TO Z by Brete Harrison

When we think of the word "chartreuse," the first thing that comes to mind is colourful apparel.

But in classic French cuisine, chartreuse also refers to a vegetable-lined Mold filled with fowl or poultry for special occasions.

? While souffle dishes are becoming common in well-stocked kitchens, metal charlotte moulds fill an important place because of their superior conductivity for both hot and cold dishes.

SPRING VEGETABLE CHARTREUSE

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 small eggplant

1 to 2 medium zucchini

2 carrots

2 tomatoes

½ pound small green beans

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, minced

½ pound broccoli, diced

6 to 8 medium mushrooms, quartered

3 tablespoons fresh basil

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup bottled red pepper sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 ½–quart souffle dish or six-cup charlotte Mold.

Peel and cube potatoes. Place in two-quart pan of boiling water and cook 20 minutes. Remove, drain and puree. Season with one teaspoon of salt.

Cube eggplant and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Place in a colander or on a towel-lined baking sheet for 30 minutes. Rinse.

2. Measure height of Mold. Cut zucchini to equal height of dish. Slice into ?-inch-thick strips. Peel carrots and cut to equal height of dish. Slice into ?-inch-thick strips.

Line Mold alternately with zucchini and carrot slices. Trim a ¼-by-3-inch diameter slice from the bottom of one of the tomatoes. Centre tomato slice in the bottom of the Mold. Slice green beans to fit space between tomato and edge of the Mold so that they radiate like spokes on a wheel.

Carefully spread inside of the vegetable-lined Mold with two-thirds of the potato puree to thickness of about ? inch. Dice leftover zucchini, carrots and tomatoes. Cut green beans in half.

3. Heat oil in a five-quart saucepan over medium heat and sauté garlic, onion, carrots, broccoli and eggplant about eight minutes. Add beans and mushrooms. Cook for three to four minutes more. Stir in tomato, zucchini, basil, parsley, pepper and remaining salt.

Cook for three to four minutes and remove from heat. Place sautéed vegetables in centre of potato and vegetable-lined Mold.

Spread remaining potato puree over top of vegetables. Cover top with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes more.

4. Let chartreuse rest 10 minutes before unmolding. Invert serving plate over chartreuse and turn over plate and Mold together. Lift off Mold. Pour warmed red pepper sauce around base before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.