Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [72]
Salad of Roasted Baby Beets, Cipollini Onions, with Shaved Black Truffle, and Sauce Soubise
Serves 4
Roasted Beets
8 baby red beets, about 3/4 inch in diameter
8 baby yellow beets, about 3/4 inch in diameter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons kosher salt
To make the Roasted Beets: Wash and trim the beets, keeping the colors separate. Put half of the oil, sugar, and salt in each of two mixing bowls; add red beets to one bowl and yellow to the other. Wrap the beets, keeping the colors separate, in aluminum foil, sealing tight. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Once completely cooled, save beet juice to use for garnish. Peel skin off the beets and cut into quarters.
Cipollini Onions
12 whole cipollini onions, peeled
2 tablespoons salt, divided
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
To make the Cipollini Onions: Place onions in a small pot and cover twice over with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon each of salt and sugar. Slowly bring mixture to a simmer over low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes, or until onions are soft. Drain the water and set onions aside to cool. Heat a small sauté pan and oil lightly. Quickly sauté cooked onions; gently turn over when lightly caramelized. Combine the remaining salt and sugar, champagne vinegar, and oil in a bowl, and lightly toss the onions with the mixture; set aside.
Black Truffle
1 black truffle
Fleur de sel
Champagne vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
To make the Black Truffle: Shave truffle very thinly using a truffle slicer or mandolin. Season to taste with fleur de sel, vinegar, and oil; set aside.
Sauce Soubise
2 Spanish onions, peeled and cut in half
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons steamed white rice
To make the Sauce Soubise: Cut onions into 1/4-inch slices; place in a medium saucepot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then strain water from pot. Incorporate oil with onions over medium heat. Add sugar and salt, and sweat until fully cooked, adding water if necessary. Place cooked onions in a blender and purée. Add rice to achieve proper sauce consistency and purée until smooth. Taste and season if needed. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and chill.
Garnish
Beet sprouts and other available shoots
How to Plate: Using a pastry brush, spread reserved beet juices onto a plate. Spoon Sauce Soubise around the plate and place the Roasted Beets on top, alternating colors. Place Cipollini Onions and Black Truffle slices along each side of the beets. Garnish with beet sprouts and other available shoots.
Salad of Riesling-Poached Tokyo Turnips with Brussels Sprouts, Pickled French Laundry Garden Onions, and Toasted Mustard Seed Emulsion
Serves 6
2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
3-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 tablespoon mustard seeds, toasted and blanched until tender
2 cups Riesling (preferably Gunderloch “Nackenheimer Rothenberg” Auslese, Rheingau, 2004)
18 small Tokyo turnips
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to adjust seasoning
18 small Brussels sprouts
6 Vidalia onion shoots
6 small red pearl onions
3/4 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Wrap the Spanish onions in aluminum foil with 1/4 cup sugar and bake in a 350-degree F oven until completely tender, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Empty the onions into a fine mesh sieve and press them with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible into a bowl. Combine onion liquid with the Dijon mustard and slowly whisk in the oil. Season with mustard seeds and salt.
Reduce wine by half in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add turnips, 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; reduce until dry. Turnips should be tender. Do not caramelize the remaining syrup. If needed, add a touch of water to finish cooking and reduce until dry. Remove from pan and reserve