Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [47]
Using a large 8-quart pot, bring salted water to a boil and blanch the mushrooms, carrots, turnips, potato punch outs, and asparagus in that order until each are al dente. Place into ice water to cool quickly; reserve.
In a 3-quart saucepot over medium heat, bring the oil to 360 degrees F. Blanch the artichoke in the oil until browned on all sides. Cut each artichoke into six pieces.
Slice fennel and radishes on a slicer or with a sharp knife as thinly as possible. Slice eggplant and grill on a well-oiled grill. Cool and cut into bite-size pieces. Save drippings and add to the vinaigrette, if desired.
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup champagne
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2-1/2 cups olive oil
Salt to taste
To make the Vinaigrette: Place the champagne and vinegar in a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the oil. Season with salt. Note that this is a broken vinaigrette and will need to be mixed again before being added to the salad.
How to Plate: Remove beets from marinade and divide evenly among 6 plates. Toss the carrots, turnips, eggplant, asparagus, fennel, mushrooms, artichokes, and radishes in Vinaigrette separately, and then scatter over the plates. Distribute pomegranate seeds, grapefruit sections, orange sections, and cucumber balls among the plates. Lightly coat the sunflower and pea sprouts with Vinaigrette and lay on top of each salad. Garnish with the dill and chervil.
Fall Vegetables Three Ways and Chanterelle Risotto
Serves 6
Sweetened Sweet Potatoes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sugar cane syrup
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt to taste
To make the Sweetened Sweet Potatoes: In a medium saucepan, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add sweet potato to blanch in order to set the color and soften slightly. Drain and then add to a sauté pan with the sugar cane syrup and thyme, allowing syrup to glaze the sweet potato for about 8 minutes, or until fork tender. Season potatoes with salt. Gently spoon into four small serving bowls.
Truffled Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons truffle oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Micro greens
To make the Truffled Cauliflower: Cut 6 nice cross-sections of cauliflower florets to make a chip shape. Sear in olive oil and drain on a paper towel.
Rough chop the remaining cauliflower and add to a pot of salted water, simmering until tender. In the meantime, heat the soy milk in a saucepan. Drain cauliflower and combine with soy milk in a food processor to purée.
Mix the vinaigrette by whisking together truffle oil, vinegar, and salt.
Spoon the purée into the bottom of four small serving bowls and garnish with a cauliflower chip. Top with micro greens that have been tossed in the vinaigrette.
Baby Turnips and Greens
6 baby turnips with greens attached
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
1 stalk salsify, shaved with peeler and fried (parsnips can be substituted)
To make the Baby Turnips and Greens: Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove greens from turnips and wash. Blanch turnips until fork tender; cool and peel.
Using a heavy-bottomed saucepan, sweat garlic and shallot in oil, making sure not to brown. Add turnip greens and sauté until soft. Season with salt.
Place sautéed greens in the bottom of four small serving bowls. Warm turnips, if needed, and place on top. Garnish with fried salsify.
Risotto with Batter-Fried Asparagus and Mushrooms
5 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart canola or other frying oil
1 cup cold water
1 cup flour
Salt to taste
6 stalks asparagus, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
6 chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces
Chives to garnish
To make the Risotto with Batter-Fried Asparagus and Mushrooms: