Ease of Preparation: Hard
Time of Preparation: 1 hour
Yield: 4-6 servings
Yes, you read that right. Scallion ash! It’s the smoky, onion-y, complex condiment that you won’t be able to live without after you try it here. Cooking carrots and parsnips sous-vide ensures that they’re evenly cooked all the way through.
Ingredients:
Scallion Ash:
- 3 bunches scallions
- 2 leeks
- 1 red onion
- Black lava salt
Caramelized Onion Spread:
- 1 cup (240 ml) crème fraiche
- 1 cups (470 ml) caramelized onions
- Salt and white pepper
Carrots and Parsnips:
- ½ cup (120 ml) butter
- 8 medium heirloom carrots, scrubbed and trimmed (leaving 1 inch/2.5 cm of the greens attached)
- 4 medium parsnips, peeled and trimmed (leaving 1 inch/2.5 cm of the greens attached)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) caraway seeds
Method:
For the Scallion Ash:
Preheat the oven to 500 F (260 C). Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat.
Cut the red onions into rings, slice the leek in half lengthwise. Grill until charred.
Separate the scallions, leeks, onions into individual layers. Place them onto a baking sheet (or several, if needed), in a thin, even layer.
Roast in the oven for 3 hours until completely burnt.
Remove and let cool. Separate any wet bits for another use or return to the oven on a separate pan to dry completely.
Grind in a food processor first and then a spice mill until powdery.
Add the black salt to the spice mill to season, pulse again until powdery.
Transfer to a shaker and reserve for plating
Caramelized Onion Spread:
In a small food processor, blitz caramelized onions until a smooth paste forms.
Transfer to a bowl and add crème fraiche.
Season with salt and white pepper.
Reserve and refrigerate if not using right away, serve at room temperature.
For the Carrots and Parsnips:
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until it is amber in color and smells like toasted nuts.
When ready, transfer to a container and cool completely. Refrigerate.
Prepare a sous-vide cooking station: fill a large pot or rigid tub with water and clip a sous-vide precision cooker (immersion circulator) to the side, making sure the intake set below the water level.
Set the temperature on the immersion circulator/precision cooker to 160 F (70 C).
Prepare a pouch: in a large zip-top bag, combine the carrots, parsnips, brown butter, and caraway. Season with salt and pepper.
Use a vacuum sealer or ‘water displacement’ to remove air before sealing: for displacement, lower the open bag into the water leaving the opening above the waterline. When the contents of the bag are below the water line, the pressure from the water will naturally push the air up and out of the bag. Seal the bag while the contents are still submerged, and the opening is not. Do not allow any of the water to get into the bag.
Clip the sealed bag to the side of the container to keep it from blocking the intake of the precision cooker. Set a timer for 45 minutes.
Increase the temperature to 185 F (85 C) and re-set the timer for 15 minutes.
When ready, carefully remove from bag and transfer to a grill rack to drain. Gently blot with a lint-free cloth. Serve while still warm.
To Serve:
Dust the Scallion Ash over the warm Carrots and Parsnips and neatly transfer to a serving dish (or dishes).
Add a spoonful of the Caramelized Onion Spread and serve immediately.
