Hello my beautiful PEEPS!
During my recent visit to beautiful Mont Tremblant, I had what I believe was the most INCREDIBLE experience of my ENTIRE life! I had the honour to partner with Casino Tremblant, where I had the opportunity to cook with their Executive Chef - Chef Dominic! Chef Dominic created this unique recipe to check off the following boxes: vegetarian (because I’m a vegetarian), fresh & local (all made with fresh & mostly local ingredients), and wholesome (which this dish, definitely is)!
I hope you enjoy this twist on a traditional Risotto dish! It may be priceless, but it’s packed with flavour! I created this (almost) replica at home from all the skills and tips I learned from Chef Dominic and am so happy to be sharing it with you! Please give this dish a try in your home kitchen; I promise you, it is fairly simple.
(Makes 2 portions)
Ingredients:
(600g) Celery Root
(500g) Green Peas
(100g) Shallots
(½ Bunch) Chives
(250ml) Cream (35%)
(100ml) Vermouth
(50ml) Olive Oil
(5 Cloves) Garlic
(½ Bunch) Rosemary
(½ Bunch) Thyme
(200ml) Vegetable Stock
(1L) Milk
(50g) Butter
(To taste) Himalayan Salt
(To taste) Black Pepper
(Garnish) Freeze-dried Peas
(Garnish) Pea Shoots
To Prep….
For the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil
• Place the olive oil, garlic cloves, thyme springs and rosemary springs in a pan.
• Allow all the ingredients to slowly cook on low heat (80° Celsius) for 3 hours.
• Once completed, strain the oil into a bowl and discard the other ingredients.
For the Risotto
• Dice the celery root into tiny cubes. (Save 100g/ 600g to make the celery root purée).
• Blanch the diced celery root in salted boiling water for approximately 2-3 minutes.
• Once cooked, strain out the hot water and allow the cooked celery root to bathe in ice water.
• Follow the same steps for the fresh green peas. (Save 80g/ 500g to make the pea purée).
• Finely mince the shallots and reserve for later.
For the Pea Purée
• Use 80g/ 500g of the blanched peas and blend for approximately 3-4 minutes with a touch of Olive Oil.
• Add 2-3 teaspoons of the vegetable stock to smoothen out the texture of the purée.
• Add Himalayan salt (to taste) to season the purée.
• Place the purée into a mesh strainer and strain for an entirely smooth consistency.
• Carefully add the purée to a bottle and reserve for later.
For the Celery Root Purée
• Place 25g/ 100g minced shallots, garlic and olive oil in a pan and allow it to sweat over low heat. (Be carefully to not overcook, as we aren’t looking for colouration).
• Add the celery root to the mixture in the pan.
• Allow the celery to sweat.
• To season, add some Himalayan salt and black pepper (to taste).
• Pour in the milk to the mixture in the pan.
• Add a spring of Thyme.
• Allow the mixture to cook thoroughly, while gently stirring occasionally.
• Once the mixture has cooked completely, strain out the milk.
• Remove all the ingredients, leaving behind only the celery root.
• Add the celery root to a blender and blend for approximately 3-4 minutes.
• Using 2-3 teaspoons of the milk strained earlier, add it to the purée to smoothen out.
• Incorporate the butter in at this time to future smoothen the texture of the purée.
• Carefully add the purée to a bottle and reserve for later.
For the Parmesan Tile
• Place a non-stick pan on medium-high heat and allow it to warm up.
• Once the pan is hot, finely grate some Parmesan cheese at the center of the pan in a circular motion (aim to create a round cookie-like shape). Be mindful to not grate the cheese forming a mountain, you want it to remain as flat as possible.
• Once the cheese has melted in the pain for approximately 15-20 seconds (don’t allow colouration), take the pan of the stove and swing the pan up and down to fan out the heat.
• Using a scrapper-like tool (or mini spatula), life the Parmesan tile of the pan and reserve for later.
To Cook the Risotto….
• In a pan on medium heat, allow the shallots to sweat with the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil prepared earlier.
• Add the vermouth to the pan and allow it everything to deglaze, while cooking the vermouth down.
• Add the cream to the pan and allow the cream to cook down (you will see it slowly thicken).
• Add the diced and cooked celery root to the pan and allow it to slowly cook. Be sure to take a taste to see how far the celery root has been cooked. (You are aiming for the celery root to have a bit of a bite, similar to cooking al dente pasta. Avoid over cooking resulting in a mushy texture).
• Once the celery root has half cooked, add in the blanched peas.
• Grate in the remainder of the Parmesan cheese (feel free to add more) and mix well.
• To season, add some Himalayan salt and black pepper (to taste).
• Turn off the heat, add in the freshly (and finely) chopped chives, and mix well.
To Plate + Garnish….
• Dip a brush into the pea purée and brush it across towards the edge of the plate, creating a straight line.
• Using a squeeze bottle, randomly squeeze out small dots over the pea purée line.
• Place the freeze-dried peas randomly over the pea purée line. (Feel free to be creative and play around with the placement of the garnish ingredients).
• Using a tablespoon, carefully put the risotto at the center of the plate.
• Create a small space in the risotto and place the Parmesan tile in that space; this will create height.
• Randomly place the pea shoots as garnish.
• Finish the place, with a light drizzle of the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil prepared earlier.
Voilà & Bon Appétit!
