[ Flower / Citrus ] thoughts and recipe.

[ Flower / Citrus ] cauliflower, artichokes two ways, grapefruit, rosehip reduction, violets

So this happens to be my favorite dish from the last [ Salt / Water ] Spring menu.  The inspiration of this dish comes from multiple sources. First, spring itself,  how can you not think of spring with all the blooming flowers. It also pays homage to the fact winter is drawing to an end and the end of the citrus season as well.  The second is a nod to some of my favorite world-class restaurants and chefs.  Many high-end chef, [Chef Rene Redzepi of NOMA, Ben Shewery of Attica, Andoni Luis Aduriz of Murgaritz, among many others], are using lots and lots of flowers in their cuisines highlighting not only the beauty of flowers but also their unique tastes as well.  For instance, violets have a wonderful vegetable taste and nasturtiums are delightfully peppery and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are whole worlds of flavors hidden in flowers.

Where does cauliflower and artichoke come into these equation? Well if you didn’t know any better they are both actually flowers in disguise   The artichoke plant that we all know and love is actually part of the thistle family. What we eat is actually the unopened flower bloom of the plant and this also explains all the barbs that protect the tasty heart of the flower. What about Cauliflower? It is actually the genetically modified monster flowering head of the Brassica family [ also in this family is broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale…] that generations of farmers spent time enlarging the heads to the produce we are familiar with today.

So enough talk… recipe below.

Cauliflower Puree

1 head of Cauliflower, cleaned, stemmed and cut into large pieces

1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Place the cauliflower in a pot and cover with water and add some salt.  Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and place the still warm cauliflower in a high-speed blender.  Blend on high-speed while slowly adding the olive oil until the puree is thick.  Season to taste with salt and set aside warm until later.

Grapefruit

1 Grapefruit

1 C water

1/2 C Sugar

Supreme the grapefruit into individual segments. Combine the water and sugar in a pot and bring to a simmer and mix well until the sugar is dissolved. allow to cool and then add grapefruit segments.  Reserve in the fridge.

Fried Artichokes

2 whole Artichokes

Lemon juice

Water

Olive oil

salt

Trim the artichokes down to the hearts. Slice the artichoke hearts into thin slices. Reserve the slices in water and lemon juice to prevent oxidation.  Reserve until ready to serve

Marinated Artichokes

4 whole artichokes

1 C Olive Oil

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

2 T Herbes de Provence

Trim the artichokes down to the hearts and cut the hearts into wedges. Place the olive oil, artichokes, garlic and herbs de provence in a pot and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.  Allow to cook for 1 hour until the artichokes are melting soft. reserve warm in the olive oil

Rose hip Reduction

20 rose hips

1/4 C honey

1 C water

Combine all ingredient in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Reduce the liquid by half, strain the hips out of the liquid and reserve the liquid. Pour into a squeeze bottle and chill. reserve

To Finish;

Artichoke Fried Chips; see below

Marinated Artichokes; from above

Cauliflower Puree; from above

Grapefruit; from above

Fresh Chervil, minced finely

Fresh Violets

Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Heat oil to 375 degree F.  Drain the artichokes on paper towels until very dry.  Deep fry the artichoke until crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Drain well on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm.

To Plate; Place a spoonful of the cauliflower on the middle of plate. Spoon of the olive oil poached artichokes on top the puree and top with two of the artichoke chips.  Drizzle some of the rosehip reduction around the plate. Place a grapefruit segment on the side of the puree.  Scatter the chervil and violets over the mound of cauliflower and artichokes.  Season lightly with salt and a touch of olive oil.