Fines Herbes Powder:
-21 ounces baby spinach leaves
-14 ounces parsley springs, stems removed
-7 ounces dill sprigs
-7 ounces tarragon leaves
Potato Fondue:
-1-1/2 pounds fresh Bintje potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes
-3/4 cup white wine
-6 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
-2 teaspoons salt
-1 garlic clove, cut in half
-2-2/3 cup Real California heavy cream
-10 ounces Real California shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese
Marble Potatoes:
-30 ounces fresh marble-size (“C” or smaller) Bintje or waxy variety potato
-1-3/4 tablespoons salt
-4 ounces Real California unsalted butter
-Sherry Vinegar, as needed
Wild Morel Mushrooms:
-1-1/2 pounds wild morel mushrooms
-1/2 cup Real California butter
-Salt, to taste
-1/2 cup brandy
-1 cup Real California heavy cream
Glazed English Peas:
-4 pounds English peas
-1 gram Xanthan Gum
-1 pound Real California butter, cut into pieces and malleable
-Salt and sugar, to taste
Garnish:
-Micro curly pea shoots and wild flowers
To prepare Fines Herbes Powder, spread herbs on dehydrator mesh covered with another mesh sheet to keep herbs from blowing away. Dehydrate overnight, at no higher than 135°F. Tarragon will turn brown green but other herbs should stay bright green. A higher oven temperature will discolor herbs. Once dried, remove from dehydrator and grind very finely. A Krupp’s coffee grinder is recommended. Store in airtight container with desiccants until ready to use.
To prepare Potato Fondue, cut potatoes in half if large then combine with wine, lemon juice salt and garlic in vacuum bag: seal on high. Steam or simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender enough to purée. Warm heavy cream. Open vacuum bag and remove garlic clove. Empty content into a blender and blend until smooth. Add cream and blend until smooth. Pour contents of blender into heavy saucepan and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly so that bottom does not scorch. Add cheese to blender then pour boiling potato mixture over cheese; blend until cheese is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Hold mixture warm or chill then reheat when ready to serve.
To prepare Marble Potatoes, place potatoes, salt and butter in vacuum bag. Seal bag then steam or simmer until potatoes are tender, 20-40 minutes. Cool in bag so that potatoes reabsorb liquid and stay creamy. To finish, pour contents of bag into a sauté pan. Add a splash of sherry vinegar and toss until hot and glazed.
To prepare Glazed English Peas, shuck peas reserving shells. Blanch shucked peas in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, shock with cold water, drain again and set aside until ready to use. To prepare pea glaze, combine 10 ounces pea shells or sliced snap peas with 1-2/3 cup water in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Strain liquid over an additional 10 ounces pea shells in medium bowl. Allow peas and liquid to steep and cool. Once peas have steeped, strain the liquid, then warm it up and place in blender, along with xantham gum and 8 ounces peas. Blend until smooth then add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce is emulsified. Season with salt and sugar to taste.
To prepare Wild Morel Mushrooms, wash mushrooms and remove lowest part of stem. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add butter and allow to bubble in pan until just beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and season with salt. Continue to cook and stir, adding more butter if necessary until liquid reduces and is absorbed back into mushrooms. Once they begin to crisp, deglaze pan with brandy. When brandy has cooked down, add cream. Cook and reduce until sauce is broken. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Per order, warm Potato Fondue if necessary. Warm Marble Potatoes, if necessary. Heat 1/3 cup pea glaze in saucepan and stir in 1/3 cup blanched peas. Stir and cook until peas are warmed and glazed. Spoon Marble Potatoes, Wild Morel Mushrooms and Glazed English Peas onto serving plate. Top with Potato Fondue. Sprinkle with Fines Herbes Powder and garnish with pea shoots and flowers.
Recipe developed by Timothy Jacob, Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA
