A Very Updated Vegetable Chartreuse Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the leeks: Line four 3-inch custard cups liberally with softened butter. Refrigerate. Trim roots from leeks. Trim the tough, dark green tops of the leeks. Split the leeks in half lengthwise. Wash thoroughly. Cut the leeks into 5-inch long by 1/4 inch wide strips. Separate the light and dark pieces. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready on the side. Plunge light pieces of leek in the water for 1 minute. Refresh in the ice water. Remove and pat dry with paper towel. Repeat procedure with dark pieces of leek. Line the custard cups with alternating light and dark strip of leek by place one end of each strip in the center of the custard cup, pressing it along the bottom and up the side. There should be an overhang of approximately 1 1/2 inches over the edge of the cup. Refrigerate. Reserve remaining light pieces of leek for mousse.
• Prepare the mousse: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Have a boil of ice water ready on the side. Plunge the asparagus into the water for 2 minutes. Refresh in ice water. Trim heads of asparagus and reserve for garnish. Place asparagus stems, reserved extra pieces of leek, chicken breast, egg, yolk, heavy cream and milk in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Press mixture through a fine sieve using a rubber spatula to remove fibers. Divide mixture between the custard cups. Fold leek ends over mousse to enclose it. Cover the top of the custard cup tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until needed. When ready to cook, prepare a water bath: Place custard cups in a baking dish. Fill baking dish with hot water that reaches 3/4 of the way up the sides of the cups. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. The mousse is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the center of a custard cup comes out completely clean. Remove from the water bath.
• Make the sauce: Bring vegetable stock to the boil. Reduce by half. Add heavy cream, lemon juice, butter and chervil sprigs. Blend mixture together. Strain through a sieve. Keep sauce warm in a small saucepan.
• Assemble the dish: Remove plastic from the custard cup. Unmold the chartreuse onto a serving plate. Heat reserved asparagus heads in the sauce. Spoon 3 heads of asparagus and some sauce on each plate. Sprinkle with truffle pieces and chervil flowers. Optional garnish: Sauteed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, morels and girolles.

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage core/stem end. Separate off 12-13 leaves (several will be extra), choosing the biggest, most beautiful. Boil a pot of water, and salt until it tastes like pleasant seawater. Cook separated leaves in two batches, 3-4 minutes each, removing when they are pliable with a sieve or tongs to a baking tray lined with cloths or a large colander. Let them drain until very dry.
• From the remaining cabbage, very finely slice two cups of leaves, leaving the thick central stem behind (save/freeze for vegetable soup). Add the 1 1/2 cups julienne celery and leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well, and leave sitting at room temperature for at least an hour and up to 2 hours, mixing occasionally.
• Combine 3 tablespoons butter and 1 of olive oil in a very large pan. Once butter is melted, add chopped onion, garlic, remaining celery and combined sage, rosemary and thyme, and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until onion is just translucent. If it starts to brown or stick, add a few drops of water. Add all diced mushrooms, and stir occasionally, cooking 15-25 minutes until the mushrooms' liquid has all emerged and evaporated. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Mix through, add white wine and cook for another minute. Turn off heat. Add parsley/celery leaves and crème fraîche, and mix through. Remove to a bowl, and refrigerate.
• Rinse spinach in a large colander. Put a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook spinach in batches with only the water clinging to the leaves until they are completely wilted. Remove to a colander to cool. Put the spinach in a strong clean kitchen cloth, and squeeze well, until completely dry. Put leaves through a food processor until very well chopped (or chop finely by hand). In a small pan, heat 5 tablespoons butter in 1 tablespoon olive oil until butter has just begun to brown. Add chopped spinach and nutmeg. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt, then sherry. Cook a few moments, until sherry is absorbed. Turn off heat. Add Parmesan and mix.
• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 6- or 7-inch springform pan. Make sure the cabbage leaves are very dry. Put the prettiest cabbage leaf in the bottom of the pan, spreading it into a single layer. Trim any stem/central vein that overhangs. Use 5-7 more leaves to line the sides, pressing some of each leaf carefully into the bottom of the pan and the rest up the pan's side. There should be some leaf remaining overhanging the top. Continue, lightly overlapping the leaves, until sides are covered. Put a third of the mushroom mixture into the food processor, and blend to semi-smooth. Mix back into the rest of the mushrooms. Spread half the mushroom mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan, over the cabbage. Cover with an even layer of half the spinach. Drain the cabbage-celery slaw very well, pressing all the liquid. Spread the very dry slaw over the cabbage. Repeat with the remaining spinach, and then the remaining mushrooms. Cover the mushrooms with 1-3 more cabbage leaves, in a very thin layer, trimming to fit if necessary. Fold overhanging leaves to cover the bottom. Dot with remaining butter, divided. Put into the middle of the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let sit to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Put a large plate over the cake pan. Invert the pan, and release the springform sides. Carefully remove the sides and top. Let the finished dish cool a few minutes more, then cut with a very sharp knife. Serve immediately, alone, or with a dollop of crème fraîche or ricotta on each serving.

Steps:

• Place the shredded broccoli stems in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss and leave to drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water.
• In a large bowl, combine the broccoli stems, bell pepper, cilantro, mint, and chile and toss together. In a bowl or measuring cup whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt to taste, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and grapeseed or sunflower oil. Toss with the shredded vegetable mixture. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle each serving with black sesame seeds.

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and drop into cold water to prevent discoloration. Using shredding disk of food processor or hand grater, grate potatoes as finely as possible. There should be about six cups. Drop grated potatoes into basin of cold water and set aside.
• Cut the onion in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into very thin slices. There should be about one cup.
• Heat oil in nonstick 10-inch or 11-inch skillet. When oil is hot, drain potatoes, pat dry and add them to skillet. Add salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, shaking skillet and stirring, so potatoes cook evenly, about 10 minutes. Add butter. Toss and stir. Continue cooking about 2 minutes. Add onions. Toss and stir to blend thoroughly. Continue cooking, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
• Using back of wooden spoon, press potato mixture to flatten well. Cook over moderately high heat about 2 minutes or until browned on bottom.
• Invert a round plate slightly larger than circumference of the skillet on top of skillet. Quickly turn skillet over so potatoes fall into the plate. Slip potatoes browned side up, back into skillet. Press down with back of wooden spoon.
• Cook on second side until nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place Napa cabbage, daikon, cucumbers, chili and scallions in large bowl, and mix.
• Mix vinegar and ginger in small bowl. Beat in oils. Pour over cabbage mixture, and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper, fold in cilantro, and serve.

Steps:

• Slice the carrots into julienne strips about 1 1/2 inches long.
• Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer 4 minutes. Add the snow peas, bring to a boil, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the carrots, snow peas, garlic, soy sauce, scallions and pepper. Stir and cook 1 minute. Serve.

Steps:

• For the noodles: Soak the dried glass noodles in 4 cups of warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are soaking, prepare the cooking sauce and the garnish sauce.
• For the cooking sauce: In a small bowl, mix the tamarind paste with 3 tablespoons water. Using a metal spoon or your fingers, break the tamarind into small pieces to infuse the water. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Place a small strainer over a clean bowl, and strain the tamarind mixture, squeezing on it to remove all liquid; discard the solids. There will be 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of a slightly thick liquid. Add the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and hot chili paste. Mix well, and set aside.
• For the garnish sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the chili sauce, lime juice, minced fresh chili, and garlic. Set aside.
• To finish and serve: Place a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the egg, and when the bottom and edge are starting to form a crust, flip it, and stir fry until golden and almost crisp, breaking into rough strands. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add carrot, chives and green beans and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add noodles and continue to stir vigorously to keep the noodles from sticking, about 2 minutes. Add cooking sauce and bean sprouts; toss well and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle the garnish sauce on top of the noodles as desired, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Steps:

• Cut chicken into strips about 1/8 inch wide and 2 inches long. Mix with egg white and cornstarch. Set aside.
• Rinse and drain bamboo shoots and slice with a thick slicing blade in food processor. Cut slices into small dice.
• Combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in wok until it shimmers. Stir-fry bamboo shoots, celery, spring onion and red pepper about 2 minutes; remove and set aside. Wipe out wok.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil in wok until it shimmers. Stir-fry chicken until it turns white.
• Add chili paste; stir-fry. Add vinegar mixture and stir-fry.
• Return the vegetables to wok and stir in chicken stock; stir-fry to mix well.