Big Sur Bakery Cookbook - Michelle Wojtowicz [19]
To make the salad, pull the leaves off the head of radicchio and discard the core. Cut the leaves into long, thin strips and place them in a large mixing bowl. Carefully pull the leaves off the endive heads and discard the cores. Cut the leaves into long, thin strips and add them to the radicchio. Add the ruccola, parsley, chives, scallions, and shallots, and toss together gently. Keep refrigerated.
Arrange the 4 slices of goat cheese on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Warm the goat cheese but don’t let it melt—check on it after 2 minutes. While the goat cheese is in the oven, generously dress the salad with the balsamic dressing, sprinkle with the reserved 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the salad to a platter, arrange the warmed goat cheese on top, and serve immediately.
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All three of the following vegetables come into season at around the same time, marking the beginning of spring. We serve these preparations as accompaniments to many of our dishes throughout the season. Their methods of preparation are interchangeable.
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Braised Green Garlic
Green garlic, available only in spring, is picked before the garlic’s paper-like skin has developed. It has a more delicate flavor than mature garlic and is great raw—but we also like to braise it and add it to any recipe that calls for garlic.
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INGREDIENTS
8 green garlic stalks
1 tablespoon rice bran oil or canola oil
1 cup chicken stock, warmed
¼ cup orange juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Wash the garlic thoroughly and trim the green stems—they should all be the same length, 4 to 5 inches. Place the garlic in a roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, and add the warm chicken stock and orange juice. Season the garlic with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the garlic is tender.
Gently remove the garlic stalks from the pan and reserve then. Transfer the braising liquid to a small saucepan, and reduce it by half over medium-low heat. Check the seasoning, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Arrange the reserved green garlic stalks on a serving dish and spoon the reduced liquid over them.
Photographs by Sara Remington
Photographs by Sara Remington
Photographs by Sara Remington
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Roasted Spring Onions
These onions are young enough to have their greens still intact. Like the garlic, their flavor is more delicate than the adult version. While the terms “scallions” and “green onions” are often used interchangeably, they’re actually separate vegetables. Scallions are long and thin with no bulb to speak of, and while their flavor strengthens with age, they don’t develop into onions. Spring onions, on the other hand, are baby versions of regular onions, harvested while the bulbs are still small.
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INGREDIENTS
4 large or 8 small spring onions
1 tablespoon rice bran oil or canola oil
½ cup chicken stock, warmed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Cut the spring onions in half lengthwise and place them in a roasting pan. Add the oil and toss until the onions are evenly coated. Pour in the stock, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the onions are tender.
Serve with grilled fish or your favorite vegetable side.
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Grilled Ramps
Ramps are Appalachian wild onions that combine the flavors of both garlic and onions. We often treat them like scallions. They have a short season and are delicate enough