Friday, April 16, 2010

Spring veggies in a herb nage


herb nage
3 onions
6 carrots
3 leeks, white parts only
2 fennel bulbs
3 celery stalks
3 shallots
6 tarragon sprigs
6 parsley sprigs
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
12 black peppercorns
4 star anise ( I do not use these)

spring vegetables
120 g podded peas
120  g podded broad beans (I used edamame)
1 bunch of asparagus (about 12) trimmed
1 bunch of baby carrots (about 12) trimmed and scraped
12 new potatoes, scrubbed
a few young celery sticks or baby leeks, trimmed

to finish
100 g butter, cut into pieces
salt
squeeze of lemon
chopped parsley, chervil or celery leaves

to make the herb nage
Peel and roughly chop all the veggies, place in a large stock pot and add enough cold water to cover. Add the herbs and spices. Cover the surface with a piece of greaseproof paper and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and leave to infuse in the fridge overnight.
The next day strain the nage through a fine sieve, discarding the veggies and flavorings. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

blanching the vegetables
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the veggies separately until al dente (do not over cook) Drain and immediately refresh each veggie in iced water.

to serve
When ready to serve, pour 500 ml nage into a stockpot and bring to a boil. Whisk in the butter, a piece at a time until emulsified. Season with salt and add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Add the blanched veggies and warm through for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped herbs or celery leaves. 

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