A Very Updated Vegetable Chartreuse Recipes

A VERY UPDATED VEGETABLE CHARTREUSE

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.

CHARTREUSE OF ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS SERVED WITH AN EMULSION OF CHERVIL

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.

THON EN CHARTREUSE (TUNA WITH VEGETABLES AND WINE)

Steps:

• Fill a large, wide saute pan 3/4 full with water, add the lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Blanch tuna in the boiling water for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and place tuna on a cutting board. Make small slits in the tuna and push the anchovy strips into them.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy saute pan. Once oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the tuna, cover, and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, lettuce and sorrel (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover pan again and continue to cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The lettuce should exude some water, but check the veggies periodically to make sure they aren't sticking.
• Once the lettuce water has been absorbed, add the wine. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fish is done, basting occasionally. This should take about 15 more minutes.
• Carefully remove the tuna from the pan with a large spatula and place on a warmed serving platter. Place the cooked veggies around the tuna and serve immediately.

FIVE VEGETABLES AND 15-GRAIN RICE POT

Steps:

• Place shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with 2 1/4 cups water. Allow to soak 1 to 3 hours. Remove mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and squeeze mushrooms over the bowl. Remove and discard mushroom stems, and slice mushrooms into 1/4 inch strips.
• In a medium-size (about 4 quarts) clay pot (or other kind of pot) over medium heat, combine 1 1/4 cups reserved mushroom liquid, sake, mirin and soy sauce. Add rice and stir gently. Top rice with mushrooms, burdock, hijiki, carrots and edamame; do not stir.
• Cover, and raise heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 16 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 8 minutes. Using a spatula, fluff up the rice, and garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. If desired, serve accompanied by Japanese pickled silced daikon, hijiki, or cucumbers, or a green salad.

HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CHARTREUSE

Steps:

• Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half. Scrape seeds into large saucepan. Add bean, milk, and whipping cream and bring to simmer. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes. Return to simmer. Add the chopped chocolate and sugar; stir until melted and smooth. Mix in liqueur. Ladle into mugs and serve.

ARMENIAN VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and trim the mushrooms. Depending on their size, leave them whole, or halve or quarter them. Steam for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Set aside. Steam the green beans about 7 minutes, depending on size. Drain and halve or cut in thirds, depending on size. Cover and refrigerate.
• Whisk the oil, vinegar and mustard together, and pour over the mushrooms, peppers, scallions and olives; cover and refrigerate.
• To serve, stir the green beans into the rest of the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Do not stir the green beans into the dressing more than a half-hour in advance, because the acid will turn them gray-green.