Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [21]
Over medium-low heat, sweat quinoa in 1 tablespoon oil until a nutty aroma is achieved. Turn off heat and add 1 cup stock; simmer until almost dry. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Cut remaining cauliflower into small florets and blanch in salted water until tender. Drain and spread florets on a baking sheet and place in a 300-degree F oven for about 15 minutes, or until florets have dried.
In a sauté pan, gently sweat the shallots, leek, apple, and garlic. Add the cauliflower florets and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, place in blender, and purée. (You will only need a few teaspoons for this recipe. The remaining purée can be frozen or thinned with stock for a cauliflower soup.) In a large sauté pan coated with oil, sauté zucchini until slightly golden brown. Add quinoa and remaining vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 teaspoons cauliflower purée to thicken, add thyme and chives, and drizzle with oil.
Basil Oil
2 cups well-washed basil leaves
1 cup grapeseed oil, chilled
To make the Basil Oil: Blanche basil and then shock in ice water; dry leaves well. In a blender, purée basil and grapeseed oil; strain.
How to Plate: Place cauliflower steak on bed of quinoa and zucchini mixture and drizzle Basil Oil around the plate.
Blueberry Compote and Peach Sorbet
Serves 4
Blueberry Compote
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 quart blueberries, rinsed
To make the Blueberry Compote: Heat lemon juice, water, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in blueberries, remove from heat, and cool.
Peach Sorbet
4 cups peach purée (fresh or frozen peaches puréed in a blender)
1/4 cup simple syrup (boil 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water)
6 tablespoons glucose or corn syrup
To make the Peach Sorbet: Combine ingredients and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze until ready to serve. You may have extra sorbet depending on serving size.
Garnish
1 tablespoon pineapple sage
How to Plate: Spoon Blueberry Compote into four chilled bowls. Top with a scoop of Peach Sorbet. Garnish with pineapple sage chiffonade.
Daniel Boulud
“The better the soil, the better the soup!”
Daniel Boulud’s cuisine is rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and produce fresh from the fields of dedicated local purveyors. After working with some of France’s greatest chefs, Boulud came to Washington, D.C., as private chef to the European Commission. Soon after, he moved to New York, opening the Polo Lounge at the Westbury Hotel and Le Regence at the Plaza Athenee. In 1987, he became executive chef at Le Cirque and won Best Chef: New York City at the 1992 James Beard awards.
In 1993, Boulud opened Daniel, which was named “one of the top ten restaurants in the world” by the Herald Tribune. James Beard awarded Boulud Outstanding Chef of the Year, the New York Times gave Daniel four stars, and he was named Chef of the Year by Bon Appétit magazine. In 2006, Boulud was named Outstanding Restaurateur at the James Beard awards. Boulud’s energy, creativity, and personal attention to detail as a restaurateur, author of numerous books, most recently Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine, and creator of kitchenware and gourmet products are exceeded only by his generosity and deep humanity. He has served on the board of Citymeals-on-Wheels since 1993 and has hosted galas and raised funds for many other charitable causes.
He is the chef-owner of six award-winning restaurants: Daniel, Cafe Boulud, DB Bistro Modern, Bar Boulud in Manhattan, Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach, Maison Boulud in Beijing, and Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn Las Vegas Resort.
Chilled Apple Consomme with Celery Root Rémoulade
Serves 6
Apple Consomme
2 stalks celery
10 Granny Smith apples
2 teaspoons vitamin C powder or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple pectin per 3 cups of liquid (optional)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste