Last night's celebration topped them all! Thanks again to all for dealing with my undying laughter. That was truly the hardest I had chuckled in YEARS. My mom would be so proud :)
Just in case you haven't picked up the newest edition of Sauce Magazine (may), here is the farmer-inspired recipe that I used for last night's dish. I am pretty sure it was liked by all b/c it was the largest plate of food on the table and was licked clean (yes, I did the honors on that
one :)
Spring Vegetable Salad With White Chocolate Vinaigrette
Courtesy of Niche Restaurant's Gerard Craft
4 Salads or One Huge One
16 Claverach Farm baby carrots, divided (I used about 22 from WFM, these aren't out yet)
32 peeled fava beans
Good olive oil for drizzling & coloring puree
salt to taste
4 Claverach radishes (I used Berger farms)
3 shallots, sliced
2 springs of thyme (or more if you are like me)
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 T. water
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup (or more) Claverach (or other) pea shoots - I used Berger Farms sunflower shoots
4 oz. goat cheese
*Blanch 1/2 of the carrots in heavily salted boiling water. When tender, place them in bowl of ice water.
*In the same pot, boil the fava beans until they are tender. (Remember the only way to know if a vegetable is cooked is to taste it). Place the beans in the ice water. Cut the blanched carrots in half lengthwise and reserve cold.
*Place remaining carrots in a pan just large enough to hold them and cover with water. Cook, covered, on high until the carrots are tender. Then place in a blender with enough water to make them move. Puree until very smooth.
*At this point, add enough olive oil until the puree turns bright orange. Season with salt, chill and reserve cold.
*Thinly slice the radishes and reserve.
*For the white chocolate vinaigrette, sweat the shallots and thyme in a small pan until transluscent. In a seperate pan, combine the white chocolate and water and cook on medium heat. Stir until completely melted. Come the white chocolate with shallots and thyme in a blender and slowly drizzle in your vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
*Toss the carrots, radishes and favas with juice of half a lemon in a mixing bowl. Drizzle in olive oil til your heart desires and add salt to taste.
*To assemble, place a few dollops of carrot puree in random spots on a salad plate. Scatter carrots, radishes and favas equally around the plate.
*In a seperate bowl, toss the shoots with white chocolate vinaigrette and a little salt. Scatter the shoots (and handfuls of the vinaigrette) equally around the plate.
*Crumble the goat cheese around the plate and finish salad with a drizzle of olive oil.
***NOTE: Becky, I just noticed at the bottom of the recipe: The favas are better if the skin is removed before they are cooked! I didn't do this and I loved the beans... but who knows!
