Episode 83: Vegetables

Asparagus Flan
Asparugus Halloumi and Pine Nut Salad
Jerusalem Artichoke and Yam Napoleon
Tomato and Artichoke Gratin
Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and White Wine
Fried Baby Artichokes
Herb Baked Artichokes

ASPARAGUS FLAN
Preparation is easy

2 pounds asparagus (1 kilogram)
2 tablespoons heavy cream (30 milliliters)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled (5 millilitres)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 ounce)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 3/4 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs

Preparation time is 50 minutes
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter six ramekins. Line the bottoms of the ramekins with rounds of wax paper. Line a baking pan large enough to the ramekins with a double layer of kitchen towels.

Trim the asparagus and cut off the tips. Halve the asparagus tips lengthwise and cut the stalks crosswise into 1-inch pieces. In a steamer set over boiling water, steam the asparagus tips, covered, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the asparagus tips with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water to refresh. Drain the tips well and pat dry.

Steam the asparagus stalks, covered, until tender but still bright green, about 8 minutes. Transfer the stalks with slotted spoon to paper towels and pat dry. In a blender, purée the stalks, cream, tarragon, 3 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan, and salt until smooth. In a bowl whisk eggs until combined and add the asparagus purée in a stream, whisking until smooth.

Divide the mixture among the ramekins and them on the towels in pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up sides of the ramekins. Bake the flans in the lower third of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove the ramekins the from pan and cool on a rack for 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan heat the asparagus tips in the remaining tablespoon of butter until heated through. Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins and invert the flans onto 6 plates. Top them with the asparagus tips.

Yield: 6 servings
Back to top


ASPARAGUS, HALLOUMI AND PINE NUT SALAD
Preparation is easy

1 pound asparagus (500 grams)
1 halloumi cheese
2 tablespoons well-seasoned flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup pine nuts

For the dressing:
1 cup parsley, chopped
½ cup olive oil
Juice of a lemon

Preparation time is 30 minutes

Snap the stems off the asparagus so that you are left with the green, edible parts. Drop the asparagus into boiling water for about 4 minutes, until al dente. Drain and refresh under cold water. Set the asparagus aside to drip dry.

Unwrap the halloumi and pat it dry. Slice it into eight slices and press it into the seasoned flour to coat. Put the olive oil in a pan to heat and when it is hot, slide in the halloumi cheese slices. Cook for a minute per side, until a golden colour.

Mix up the olive oil, parsley and lemon juice. Serve the asparagus with the warm halloumi and the dressing drizzled over the top. Scatter the pine nuts over the plate.

Yield: 6 servings.
Back to top


JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE AND YAM NAPOLEON
Preparation is easy

2 tablespoons walnut oil (30 millilitres)
3 large Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and diced
3 yams, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced shallot (15 millilitres)
Salt and pepper
Parsely

Preparation time is 20 minutes

Nutty flavours bring out the best in Jerusalem artichokes. Put half the walnut oil in a skillet and add the shallots. Saute for a couple of minutes, until soft. Then add the diced Jerusalem artichoke.

In a separate pan, add the other half of the oil and the diced yam. Cook both vegetables until they begin to turn a nutty brown around the edges and are no longer crunchy when you try them. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, put one layer of artichoke, then one layer of yam, then another of artichoke and so on in a tube. Remove the tube and top with parsley.

Yield: 6 servings.
Back to top


TOMATO AND ARTICHOKE GRATIN
Preparation is medium

4 tomatoes, halved
3 cups onion confit (750 grams)
8 braised artichokes, thinly sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (70 millilitres)
Salt and pepper
¼ cup Nicoise olives, pitted and chopped (60 grams)
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
¼ cup capers, drained and roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh flat leaved parsley, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (10 millilitres)

Preparation time is 1 hour 20 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Slice the tomatoes as thinly as possible, to about the same thickness as the artichoke pieces. Put the onion confit in the bottom of a baking dish in a thick layer. Lay the tomatoes and the artichokes over the top in a layered pattern so as to see the colour differences. Drizzle the gratin with olive oil and salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

After this time, uncover the gratin and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook the gratin for a further 30 minutes.

Before serving mix together a cup of olive oil, the olives, capers, anchovies and parsley and spoon it over the gratin. Warm through in the oven and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings
Back to top


ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL AND WHITE WINE
Preparation is easy

3 lemons
8 large artichokes
1 onion, peeled
2 small leeks, trimmed and outer leaves discarded
2 celery stalks
2 small carrots, peeled
2 slices bacon
½ cup olive oil (125 millilitres)
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 springs fresh tarragon
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 ¾ cups white wine - Hernder Estates Reisling (425 millilitres)

Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze in the juice of 2 ½ lemons. Trim the artichokes, leaving the heart, and rub from time to time with the remaining half lemon to prevent them going brown. Put the trimmed artichokes in the lemon water.

Slice the onion thinly and quarter the leeks lengthwise. Cut the into thin strips. Thinly slice the celery and carrots. There should be equal amounts of onion, leeks, celery.

Render the bacon for a couple of minutes and then add ¼ cup olive oil. Add the onion, leeks, celery and carrots to the bacon. Add a pinch of salt and cook the vegetables over medium low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute before adding the drained artichokes.

Add some salt and pepper, olive oil to coat the artichokes and the bay leaves. Add half the tarragon and thyme. Mix gently. Pour in the wine and enough water to cover and bring the liquid to a simmer. Partly cover the pot and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.

Chop the remaining tarragon and thyme and add to the artichokes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Yield: 4 servings.
Back to top


FRIED BABY ARTICHOKES
Preparation is easy

12 baby artichokes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Mint and parsley

Take the tough outer leaves and the stems off the artichokes. Cut off any sharp tops of the remaining leaves and soak each one in lemon water when done.

When you're ready to cook the artichokes, remove them from the water and press down on each one to loosen the leaves.

Fill a large pan with enough olive oil to float the artichokes. Heat to a very high heat, until it smokes. Fry the artichokes in one batch if possible, until brown and crispy.

Remove them from the oil and coat lightly in olive oil. Sprinkle in the garlic, salt, pepper and herbs. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings.
Back to top


HERB BAKED ARTICHOKES
Preparation is easy

12 small artichokes
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, halved
2 small thyme sprigs
2 small rosemary sprigs
Salt and pepper

Preparation time is 40 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Clean and prepare the artichokes and slice them in half lengthwise. Rinse and dry. Put the halves on a large square of foil. Rub each artichokes half with oil and put half a clove of garlic into 12 of the halves and put the herb sprigs on top. Season with salt and pepper. Close each seasoned half with an unseasoned one for form a whole. Close the foil package and set in the oven to bake.

Serve hot or warm with lemon wedges and olive oil.

Yield: 6 servings
Back to top

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Michael Allemeier, Executive Chef at Teatro in Calgary, Alberta, Canada