Best Charlie Palmers Asparagus With Morel Ragout Recipes

FRESH FAVA BEANS AND WILD MOREL RAGOUT WITH LAKE SUPERIOR WHITEFISH

Steps:

• Shell the fava beans from the large long pods in which they are encased. This will reveal the beans in their thin skin from which they must also be removed. Do this by bringing a pot of water to a boil, add the beans to the pot and blanchcook for 2 to 3 minutes before straining the favas and shocking in an ice bath of cold water. The thin skin can now be peeled entirely off by hand to reveal the sweet fava bean. It is now ready to be added to any dish and only requires a few moments of additional cooking time.
• Clean the morels carefully and trim off the bottom of the stem. Remove all dirt and debris by soaking them in several changes of clean cold water. Next, lay the morels out on paper towels to absorb the excess moisture and air dry. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• In a saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the morels and saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for 3 additional minutes. Add the fish stock and braise the morels for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the fava beans and white wine to the morels and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and add the fresh thyme leaves. Swirl in the cold butter to allow the butter, which adds a creamy texture to the dish, to melt but not separate. Remove promptly from the heat and place the morels and fava beans on a warm serving platter. While the morels and fava beans are cooking begin to cook the whitefish by seasoning the fish with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining olive oil in a second saute pan. Add the fish fillets to the hot oil, skin side down and cook the fillets 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, before removing and placing on the serving platter with the morels and favas.

ASPARAGUS WITH MORELS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Put morels, porcinis or both in a bowl with very hot water to cover; soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain morels and reserve soaking liquid. Cut morels in half; if porcinis are large, chop them roughly.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when butter is hot and foam has subsided, add shallots and reconstituted and fresh mushrooms to pan. Cook until shallots soften and fresh mushrooms have released their liquid and it has cooked off, about 10 minutes.
• Add asparagus and 1/2 cup reserved liquid to pan. Bring liquid to a boil, cover, reduce heat so mixture simmers, and continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add cream and tarragon or chervil and continue cooking, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly and asparagus is tender, about 4 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

SAUTéED ASPARAGUS WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Drain and slice the morels: Drain and rinse the morels one more time. Then slice them crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

RED SNAPPER WITH MEDITERRANEAN RAGOUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large oven proof skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the white wine, simmer for 1 minute. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by 1/2. Taste and adjust seasoning, if required. Portion the potatoes and onions into 6 stacks in the skillet.
• Season the red snapper with salt.
• Place one fillet, skin side up, on each stack of the potato onion mixture. Scatter the roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, black olives, thyme, and rosemary around the stacks. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Serve in shallow bowls with the cooking juices. Garnish with chopped parsley.
• Rinse the fish bones thoroughly in several changes of cold water. In a large stock pot place the fish bones and add the cold water. Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat.
• Skim the surface of foam and impurities to produce a clear, clean, fresh tasting stock.
• Add the leek, fennel, onion, celery, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Strain the stock and cool. Store the stock in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

RAGOUT OF SPRING VEGETABLES WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Place morels in a bowl, and cover with warm water. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with salted water, and simmer 5 minutes. Add carrots, onions, turnips and celery, and simmer another 15 minutes. Drain vegetables, and set aside.
• Drain morels, reserving 1/3 cup soaking liquid, strained. Rinse morels, and pat dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add morels, potatoes, carrots, onions, turnips and celery. Sauté about 5 minutes, until potatoes begin to color. Add stock and reserved morel liquid. Boil a few minutes, until liquid reduces and thickens a bit. Recipe can be prepared in advance to this point.
• Stir in asparagus and scallions. Rapidly simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in remaining oil, scatter with chervil, and serve.

ASPARAGUS AND MOREL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter starts to bubble. Add asparagus and morel mushrooms; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with any accumulated juices.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in the same saucepan. Add shallot; cook and stir until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in arborio rice and cook until it starts to toast, about 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook until evaporated. Stir in thyme.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the simmering stock over the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock until rice is tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Stir in asparagus and mushrooms with their juices and continue until flavors combine, about 3 minutes more.
• Remove rice from the heat. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper. Garnish with balsamic vinegar and additional olive oil before serving.

CARTER HOUSE SALMON WITH MOREL-AND-ASPARAGUS RAGOUT

Steps:

• To make the sauce, blend the arugula, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Warm the stock or water, whisk into the arugula puree and keep warm.
• To make the salmon, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the fish with salt and pepper and roll it in the minced herbs.
• Heat the 3 tablespoons of butter over high heat in a heavy skillet until it begins to brown. Place the salmon in the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the fish begins to brown. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 5 to 6 minutes, until cooked through with a hint of translucence in the center.
• To make the ragout: while the salmon is in the oven, add the 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan that the fish was browned in. Allow the butter to brown slightly over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, garlic, shallot, herbs, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve the salmon on top of the ragout, with the sauce drizzled over the fish.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS, MOREL, AND PEARL-ONION RAGOûT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Blanch onions in boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Trim root ends and peel.
• Pat chicken dry. Coat a 17- by 12-inch flameproof roasting pan with oil and put chicken in pan. Rub 2 tablespoons softened butter into skin over entire chicken. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Put 1 lemon half in cavity and squeeze remaining half over chicken.
• Roast chicken in middle of oven 20 minutes. Baste chicken, then continue to roast, basting about every 7 minutes, 20 minutes more. Scatter onions around chicken and continue to roast, turning onions and basting every 7 to 8 minutes, until chicken is golden and a thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F (juices will run clear), 25 to 35 minutes more.
• Once chicken begins roasting, soak morels in warm water 20 minutes. Lift mushrooms out of water, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl, and reserve liquid. Rinse morels thoroughly to remove grit and squeeze dry. Trim any tough stems.
• Pour reserved soaking liquid through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth or a paper towel into a small bowl.
• Cut asparagus diagonally into 2-inch lengths. Arrange on a steamer rack and sprinkle with kosher salt. Steam asparagus, covered, over boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
• Transfer roast chicken to a platter, then discard string and cover chicken loosely with foil. Transfer onions and pan juices to 2 separate small bowls (do not clean roasting pan). Skim and discard fat from juices.
• Set roasting pan over a burner. Add wine and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Add pan juices from bowl, any juices that have accumulated on platter (from chicken), mushroom-soaking liquid, and morels, then boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup.
• Cut remaining 2 tablespoons butter into pieces and add to morels with onions and asparagus. Cook over moderately high heat, shaking pan, until butter is just incorporated and vegetables are glazed. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and spoon around chicken.

SPRING RAGOUT WITH ASPARAGUS AND POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, preferably enameled cast iron, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add tomatillos and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a blender; let cool slightly. Add 2 cups spinach, cilantro stems, and 1/2 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Blend until pureed, adding up to 1/2 cup more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Wipe skillet clean; return to medium heat. Swirl in remaining 1/4 cup oil, add spices, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add scallions, season with salt, and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, tomatillo mixture, asparagus, and remaining 2 cups spinach. Nestle in poached eggs; cover and cook until eggs are heated through and asparagus is bright-green and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drizzle with oil and top with cilantro leaves; serve.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Chop white and pale-green parts of leeks and wash well in a bowl of cold water. Lift leeks from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander to drain. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and remove any discolored areas of bulb. Halve bulb lengthwise and cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, discarding cores. Halve or quarter larger morels lengthwise, leaving smaller ones whole.
• Cook turnips in a 6-quart heavy pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer turnips with slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking. (Keep water boiling.) Boil carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Boil fava beans until crisp-tender, about 2‚ minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Gently boil potatoes until almost tender, about 15 minutes, and drain in colander. Rinse under cold running water. Drain blanched vegetables and gently peel outer skins from fava beans. Halve potatoes.
• Cook shallots, leeks, and salt and pepper to taste in 3 tablespoons butter in pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add broth, zest, and 1/4 cup herbs and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids and reserve broth.
• Cook morels in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add fennel, asparagus, bell peppers, and reserved broth, then simmer, covered, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Gently stir in blanched vegetables and simmer until all vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes.
• Serve ragout sprinkled with remaining 1/4 cup herbs.