RECIPE: TERRINE OF SUMMER BERRIES IN ASPIC

Note: In her summer story about the world of gelatins beyond Jell-O, Michelle Huneven got a lesson in gelatins and aspics from French-trained chef Patrick Healy, who runs the kitchens at Xiomara and Oye! in Pasadena and the Buffalo Club in West Los Angeles. In this dessert recipe, Healy demonstrated that a gelatin mold can be very sophisticated indeed. He cooks 12 pints of fresh fruit until it reduces into a delicious sweet syrup that gives the finished dish a wonderful, intense flavor.

This is a great way to make use of the berries available at farmers markets in summer. It is visually stunning too.

BERRY TERRINE

3 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled, sliced and halved

3 1/2 pints blackberries

3 1/2 pints blueberries

3 1/2 pints raspberries

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

10 leaves sheet gelatin or 2 1/2 (1/4-ounce) packets unflavored gelatin

YOGURT SAUCE

1/2 vanilla bean

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup yogurt

Milk

BERRY TERRINE

Simmer 3 pints strawberries, 3 pints blackberries, 3 pints blueberries, 3 pints raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice over low heat 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth.

If using gelatin leaves, soak in very cold water until soft, about 2 minutes, and squeeze out excess water. Measure 1 quart hot berry juice (save excess berry juice for another use) and add soaked gelatin leaves or packets of gelatin. Cool to room temperature.

Mix remaining strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries in terrine or mold. Pour room-temperature berry aspic over fresh berries and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

YOGURT SAUCE

Using point of knife blade, scrape seeds from inside vanilla bean and add them to whipping cream. Beat cream until whipped. Slowly whisk in yogurt. Add milk to reach desired consistency, about 1/4 cup.

To serve, slice Berry Terrine and place each slice on top of 2 tablespoons chilled Yogurt Sauce.

Makes 12 servings:Each serving, without yogurt sauce, contains about:285 calories; 10 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 70 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 8.19 grams fiber.

Each serving, with yogurt sauce, contains about:357 calories; 51 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 8.19 grams fiber.