Fennel A La Grecque Food

VEGETABLES à LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan combine vinegar, wine, olive oil, garlic cloves, shallot, bouquet garni, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, kosher salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare vegetables.
• Add carrots to the broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, bring back to a simmer, and cook another 15 minutes, until carrots and cauliflower are tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a bowl. Some of the broth and seeds can come along with them.
• Add mushrooms to broth and simmer 5 minutes. Remove to bowl with carrots and cauliflower.
• Stir broth and ladle 11/2 cups plus some of the coriander seeds into a small saucepan. Set aside.
• Add artichoke hearts to the pot in which you cooked the other vegetables and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to bowl with other cooked vegetables. If using artichoke leaves, steam them now. When finished, discard this broth.
• Bring reserved broth in the small saucepan to a boil and cook until liquid reduces to 1/2 cup. Pour over the vegetables, add lemon juice and fleur de sel and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning. Leave at room temperature until ready to serve (for best flavor, let vegetables marinate for a few hours), or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before serving, garnish with herbs and, if you wish, with steamed artichoke leaves, which can be dipped into the marinade. Serve on small plates with the reduced marinade spooned on top.

SEARED RED MULLET WITH à LA GRECQUE VEGETABLES & BASMATI PILAF

Steps:

• Using a very sharp filleting knife, make a cut at the head on a slant, then turn the fish and cut under the dorsal (top) fin.
• Press the fish down firmly with one hand, bending it slightly along the back so that the flesh is taut. Then slide the knife in at the top of the backbone.
• Cut down against the rib cage at a downward slant. Letting the knife do the work, push the tip against the centre of the bone, working your way down to the tail. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.
• Trim the fillets neatly. Remove the pin bones using your fingernails or tweezers. In the restaurant kitchen, we use a straight-sided potato peeler, hooking the bone head and twisting it out. After filleting and pin-boning, pat dry (do not rinse or you'll lose flavour).
• Thinly slice the shallots, garlic and carrots. Quarter and core the fennel then slice the fennel quarters as thinly as you can - use a mandolin, if possible.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a sauté frying pan and fry the vegetables together for 5 mins with the saffron, cardamom and bay leaf.
• Add 2 tbsp oil and continue cooking for 5 mins. Season well, remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, 3 tbsp oil, and coriander.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan and, when hot, lay in the fillets, skin-side down. Season and cook for 2 mins, then carefully turn and cook for 1-2 mins - but no more, the flesh should be slightly undercooked. Remove from the heat.
• Tip half the vegetables into a shallow dish, lay the fillets on top, then cover with the remaining vegetables.
• Leave to marinate for 10 mins before serving warm. Prepare up to this point up to 1 day ahead and keep in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Soak the rice in cold water for 5 mins, then drain well and tip into a bowl. Mix in the grated zests. Add all the spices. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Make a cartouche (see tip below).
• Heat oil in an ovenproof casserole, then sauté onion for 5 mins. Add rice and wine, boil until evaporated, then add the stock. Bring to the boil.
• Top with the cartouche and a well-fitting lid. Bake for 20 mins, then take out of the oven, uncover, fork the grains, re-cover. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then serve.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SALAD à LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Blanch onions in a saucepan of boiling water 2 minutes. Drain; cool. Peel onions.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add water, celery, fennel, and onions; bring to boil. Add mushrooms, vinegar, salt, pepper, and coriander. Simmer mushrooms until tender, about 30 minutes. Pour mushroom mixture into strainer set over large bowl. Return strained liquid to same skillet. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12 minutes. Combine mushroom mixture and reduced liquid in large bowl. Mix in parsley and thyme. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
• Arrange watercress around edge of platter. Mound mushroom mixture in center. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

MUSHROOMS A LA GREQUE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine water, wine, olive oil, lemon juice and bouquet garni. Simmer for 10 minutes. Slice mushrooms and leave small ones whole. Add mushrooms to court bouillon and simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Strain out mushrooms and reduce cooking liquid by two-thirds or until thickened. Allow mushrooms to marinate overnight in sauce.

VEGETABLES A LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Warm the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat; add the fennel and onion.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, coriander seeds, and tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender and any liquid has disappeared.
• In a separate pan steam the cauliflowers and green beans until just tender.
• Once the fennel and tomato mixture is ready, add the mushrooms and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in the cauliflowers and green beans, and season with salt and black pepper.
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm or cool.