Ratatouille Crudo
Ingredients
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
- 5 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
- ½ cup Italian parsley leaves
- 6 basil leaves, chiffonade
- ¼ cup garlic oil
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Pea pesto, recipe follows
- Red bell pepper essence, recipe follows
Preparation
Gently toss vegetables with arugula, cheese and herbs. Mix in oil, capers, salt and pepper.
To plate, smear pea pesto in a half-circle on one side of plate. Gently mold vegetable mixture on the plate slightly covering the pesto. On the other side, squirt several dots of red bell pepper essence.
Makes 2 servings.
To make pea pesto, cook and shock 1 cup fresh peas in salted water. Puree with 2 tablespoons each of melted butter, water, truffle oil, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pinch of cayenne. Push through sieve.
To make red bell pepper essence, drain liquid from 28-ounce can diced tomatoes and oven dry in preheated 350 F oven until dry to the touch. Puree until smooth with 1 roasted red bell pepper, ¼ cup garlic oil, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ cup canola oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt as needed and pinch of cayenne.
Chef Deb Paquette, Etch, Nashville, Tennessee