Chickpea Panisse Cakes with Spring Ragout, Carrot Purée, Fava Pistou, and Feta Cheese
Source: Chris Jones, Gaspar Brasserie
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Spring
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on May 2, 2015.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Panisse Cakes
6 cups milk
6 cups water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
6 cups chickpea flour
Wondra flour
Oil for frying
Pistou
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 cup cleaned, blanched and peeled fava beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Ground white pepper
Chantenay Carrot Purée
1 to 2 Chantenay carrots
Sugar
Salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Beurre Fondue
1 cup water
8 ounces butter
Salt
Ground white pepper
Ragout
12 baby carrots
6 stalks asparagus
18 snap peas
6 radishes
6 baby beets
3 spring onions
Ice water for cooling
Salt
Sugar
Garnish
6 ounces French feta cheese marinated in olive oil
PREPARATION
For the panisse: In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, heat the milk, water, salt, granulated garlic and cumin until just before the mixture comes to a boil. Test the seasoning of the mixture and adjust as necessary. Gradually add the chickpea flour, whisking vigorously until fully incorporated, whisking out any large lumps. Cook for only about a minute and use a hand held immersion blender, if handy, to smooth the mixture. Spread the mixture evenly onto a sheet pan or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it rest until slightly set, and then cool completely in the refrigerator. Once the panisse cools, cut it into a variation of rounds using a ring mold cutter or any other desired shape.
Preheat the oven to 350°F . Dredge the panisse cakes with Wondra flour and deep-fry until golden brown at 350°F, or sauté the cakes in a sauté pan over medium heat with a good amount of blended oil until browned on both sides. Finish in the oven for about 5 minutes, until heated through.
For the pistou: Combine the Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor and purée until all ingredients are finely ground. Add the favas, lemon juice, and zest. Add the olive oil by pulsing the processor until it’s just incorporated and the pistou has a smooth consistency. Season with salt and white pepper.
For the carrot purée: Peel the carrots and cut them into small, equal pieces. Bring water to boil and season with 2 parts salt, 1 part sugar, until salty as sea water. Cook the carrots until they are completely cooked through and have no “bite.” Remove the carrots from the water, reserve the water, and purée the carrots in a food processor or blender using the smallest amount of cooking water possible to achieve a smooth purée. Add the butter and the heavy cream. Check the seasoning and pass through a fine mesh sieve.
For the beurre fondue: Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan and, with a wire whisk, slowly incorporate the butter into the water. Season with salt and white pepper.
For the ragout: Bring water to a boil in a pot that will hold at least 4 times the volume of vegetables, which will be blanched separately. Salt the water until it tastes like sea water. Peel and trim the baby carrots and asparagus, remove the strings from the snap peas and trim the radishes, beets and spring onions. Blanch the vegetables until tender in rapidly boiling water, starting with the carrots, then the radishes, beets, spring onions, and then the asparagus. Plunge the vegetables into ice water once they are finished blanching, and leave them until they are completely chilled, then move them to a dry towel.
To plate: Sauce 6 plates on one side with the carrot puree. Add the blanched vegetables to the hot beurre fondue, gently stirring until the vegetables are warmed through. Remove with a slotted spoon and arrange the vegetables onto the plates. Sauce the blank side of the plate with the pistou. Arrange the hot panisse cakes on top of the ragout and top with the marinated feta cheese.
