Part of the appeal of this dish is the gentle seasoning so the flavors of the ingredients stand on their own. Blanching the garlic mitigates the heat, but leaves behind the wonderful garlic flavor. If you have green garlic, that would be great in lieu of the garlic. Simply cut it into ribbons as wide as the leeks and cook it the same. For the stock, you want a very light vegetable stock, preferably homemade.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch mei-quin, leaves and stalks separated, stalks cut into ¼ inch ribbons 2-4 leeks (enough to yield 2 cups) whites only, trimmed to 4 inches and split lengthwise, cut into ¼ wide ribbons, washed 4 medium-small-ish carrots, peeled and trimmed to 4 inches 1 cup button mushrooms, halved through the stem, then cut into thin (1/8th inch) slices perpendicular to the slice 2 clove garlic, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped ½ cup dry white wine + ¼ cup ½ cup light flavored vegetable broth + ¼ cup if needed ½ tablespoon cornstarch Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Grape seed oil as neededMETHOD:
Mix the cornstarch with an equal amount of stock or water. Stir well to mix. Keep cool.
Use a peeler to slice one side of the carrot flat enough to prevent it rolling. Place the carrot on a flat surface and push hard with the peeler to pull thicker strips from the carrots. Alternatively, you can use a mandolin to take very thin slices along the length of the carrot. The slices should be as thin as a dime. If your peeler can’t hack it and you do not have a mandolin, slice a side of the carrot so it won’t roll and make really thin diagonal slices around 4 inches long.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place the garlic in a tight meshed strainer and dip it into the water for 20 seconds. Remove and rinse with cold water. Taste the garlic-it should have lost much of its “heat”. If it is still fiery, blanch another 10 seconds and taste. Once the garlic is no longer really hot, set it aside.
Blanch the leeks in the same water as the garlic just until they soften. Drain well and set aside.
Remove the cornstarch slurry from the refrigerator.
Heat large skillet- 10 to 12 inches-over medium heat. When hot, film the pan with enough oil to coat the bottom and add 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the mushrooms and toss to thoroughly coat the mushrooms. Sauté gently until the mushrooms are softening. Add ¼ cup wine and cook until mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated. If the mushrooms are not tender but the liquid has evaporated, add the ¼ cup of stock to the pan. Cook until the stock evaporates. The mushrooms should tender now. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan and keep warm.
Film the pan with oil and add the mei-quin when hot. Sauté until softened and tender, and the stalks are turning bright green. Add the carrot strips and toss to mix and coat the new ingredients. Sauté until the carrot starts to wilt. Add the leeks and mushrooms and toss with the rest of the vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper. Toss. Make a well in the center of the vegetables, and add the second tablespoon butter. When it stops foaming, add the blanched garlic and thyme and stir a little. Sauté until fragrant, but do not allow to take any color.
Add the rest of the wine and cook until it is reduced by 80%. Add the stock and get hot. Stir the slurry to ensure the cornstarch is still in suspension. Add the slurry to the pan and stir. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir while the sauce thicken. Once the sauce is not getting any thicker, serve right away. If the dish cools too much the sauce will break and it will thin out.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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