Episode 131: Vegetables

Tomato Garlic Soup with Asparagus
Artichoke Stew
Lettuce Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Carrot Pudding

TOMATO GARLIC SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS

1 Bunch of fresh green asparagus
8 cups of water - (2liters)
1 bay leaf
10 whole black peppercorns
1 peeled and crushed garlic clove
4 tomatoes
½ of a chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic - (15ml)
1 whole garlic clove
1 chopped onion
4 thick slices of toasted baguette
½ teaspoon of salt - (2.5ml)
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter - (15ml)
2 tablespoons of lemon balm - (30ml)
Chiffonade - For garnish

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Preheat Oven to 350°F - (180°C)

For vegetable stock, combine in a medium stockpot, water, bay leaf, crushed garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and add ½ teaspoon of salt.

Trim off the woody stems of the asparagus, just at the point where it meets the more tender part of the spear. Set aside the stems.

Blanch the asparagus in the vegetable stock for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool in ice water.

Using a small sharp knife cut a small cross in the bottom of tomatoes and blanch them for 10-20 seconds in the vegetable stock. Once tomatoes have all been blanched they need to be peeled, seeded, chopped and set aside.

Add reserved asparagus stems to pot to complete vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 minutes and strain out solids and set aside the asparagus tips.

In another medium stockpot heat butter and sweet onions for 3-4 minutes. Add chopped garlic and sweet for an addional minute. Add chopped green pepper and tomatoes and reserved liquid. Lower temperature and let simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub baguette slices with whole garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and bake for 5 to 10 minutes.

Place baked baguette slices into 4 individual soup bowls and top with reserved asparagus spears.

Season soup with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls over asparagus and baguette slices.

Garnish with chiffonade and lemon balm.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings
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ARTICHOKE STEW

16 trimmed and halved Baby artichokes
2 ten oz packages frozen artichokes, drained & patted dry
1 lemon halved
3 sprigs of chopped fresh rosemary
3 large sprigs of fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil - (60ml)
5 slivered cloves of garlic
8 shallots peeled and quartered with the root end in tact
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 small fingerling potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons of plain white flour - (30ml)
1 teaspoon of salt - (5ml)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup of dry white wine - (250ml)
1 ½ cups of chicken broth - (375ml)
3 tablespoons of coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley - (45ml)
1 coarsely chopped large clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest - (5ml)
Butcher twine

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour

In order to prevent fresh artichokes from browning, rub the clean, freshly cut surfaces with lemon.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil is hot. Tie the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves into a bouquet with butcher twine and place in the hot oil.

Add the slivered garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the shallots and the fennel and cook while stirring until the vegetables are nicely browned (approximately 10 minutes).

Add the artichokes and potatoes and sprinkle with flour and stir well for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer and stir the mixture until the wine has reduced by half.

Add the chicken broth and bring the stew to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to lower. Cook until the vegetables are tender (approximately 45 minutes).

Remove the herb bouquet and season to taste.

Garnish the ragout with a mixture of chopped parsley, chopped garlic and lemon zest.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings
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LETTUCE BURGER WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

2 large heads of romaine lettuce
2 quarts of salted water
¼ cup of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper - (60ml)
2 eggs beaten
½ cup of olive oil - (125ml)
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano - (15ml)

Red Pepper Sauce
2 large red bell peppers, roasted with skins peeled off
Olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Begin by removing the base off of the heads of lettuce and chop up the remainder of the leaves.

Bring the salted water to a boil and add the chopped lettuce. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the lettuce is soft. Drain the lettuce and pat dry.

Combine the oregano and the dry lettuce in a large bowl and mix well. Form the lettuce and oregano mixture into small balls.

Roll each of the balls in the seasoned flour and flatten into small 2 inch patty.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Dip each patty in the beaten eggs and fry on each side for approximately 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.

For the sauce, place the roasted, skinned peppers in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic and blend. While blending, add olive oil in a thin steam until the desired texture and thickness is achieved. Place the sauce in a skillet and cook over moderate heat until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the lettuce patties.

Yield: 4 servings
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CARROT PUDDING

2 pounds of steamed carrots (1000 grams)
1 ½ cups of unsalted butter - (375ml)
3 large eggs separated
½ cup of sugar - (125ml)
1 ½ cups of sifted rice flour - (375ml)
1 teaspoon of salt - (5ml)
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder - (7.5ml)
½ cup of raisins - (125ml)
1 ½ cups of dark rum - (375ml)

Preparation Time: 25 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour
Preheat the oven to 500 F - (250°C)

Butter four - 1 cup ramekins or an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

Pour dark rum in a sauce pan and cook over low heat. Add the raisins to the hot rum and remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes at room temperature.

Press the steamed carrots through a ricer into a large bowl. Stir the carrot mixture well.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and whisk in the sugar until they are well combined. Whisk in the rice flour and butter. Add the carrot pulp. Using a slotted soon, remove the raisins from the rum and add them to the mix. Season with salt and add lastly the baking powder.

Place the rum back over low heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the carrot pudding and pour the mixture into the buttered baking dish or ramekins.

Bake the pudding at 500 F for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 F. Continue to cook the pudding for another 45-50 minutes until it is spongy to the touch and the edges are slightly browned. The interior should be moist.

Serve with warm rum drizzled overtop.

Yield: 4 servings
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Georges Laurier, Executive Chef & owner of Laurier Sur Montcalm in Hull, Quebec.