Saturday mornings are the highlight of every week, bearing the promise of exciting adventures around this fine city, without arduous classes encumbering an already overloaded schedule. No matter where the day takes me, each new exploit always begins in the same place: The Ferry Building farmers market, arguably the most renowned year-round source for fresh produce in San Francisco proper, drawing locals and tourists alike. It would be easy to make a full meal of the generous samples, ranging from buttery avocados to sweet dark cherries, but there’s so much more than just fruits and vegetables on offer. Time your visit correctly and you’ll cross paths with some inspiring bay area chefs, freely divulging secret recipes thanks to CUESA‘s Market to Table program.
Featuring the season’s best and freshest offerings, it’s always a treat to see what the innovative food luminaries in the area bring to the plate, and even better when you can get a free taste. The Plant Cafe is a common stop on my market trips, since their Embarcadero outpost is a mere two piers away, so I was especially thrilled when reigning chef Sascha Weiss appeared on the demo schedule.
Presenting chickpea panisse in a whole new light, Mr. Weiss has elevated the concept from french fry-alternative to an elegant plated hors d’oeuvre. Piled high with tender asparagus and mushrooms singing with umami flavor, the whole composition is a shining example of why eating fresh and seasonal is always best. That said, if you make just one part of this dish, it must be the pistachio-pea purée. Somewhere between a pesto and a sauce, the richness of the nuts boosts the sweetness of the tender peas to create a creamy, sublime experience. Rather than reaching for the standard hummus, I think I’ll just call this a dip next time a snack craving hits.
Chickpea Panisse with Pistachio-Pea Purée, Asparagus, and Maitake Mushrooms
Presenting chickpea panisse in a whole new light, Mr. Weiss has elevated the concept from french fry-alternative to an elegant plated hors d’oeuvre. Piled high with tender asparagus and mushrooms singing with umami flavor, the whole composition is a shining example of why eating fresh and seasonal is always best. That said, if you make just one part of this dish, it must be the pistachio-pea purée. Somewhere between a pesto and a sauce, the richness of the nuts boosts the sweetness of the tender peas to create a creamy, sublime experience. Rather than reaching for the standard hummus, I think I’ll just call this a dip next time a snack craving hits.
Ingredients
Chickpea Panisse:
- 4 Cups Water
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 1/4 Cups Garbanzo Bean Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 1 Teaspoon Whole Cumin Seed, Toasted and Ground
- Salt and Pepper, to Taste
- Neutral Vegetable Oil, for Frying
Mushrooms:
- 8 Ounces Maitake Mushrooms, Cleaned and Halved Through the Stems
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Asparagus:
- 16 Stalks Asparagus, Trimmed and Bottom 1/3 of Stalks Peeled
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to Taste
Pistachio-Pea Puree:
- 2 Cups Sliced Leeks (Washed, Cut 1/4-Inch Thick)
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Shelled Pistachios
- 1/2 Cup Shelled English Peas, Blanched
- 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Garnish:
- 1 Cup Arugula, Pea Tendrils, or Other Tender Greens
- 1 Radish, Sliced Very Thin
- 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to Taste
- 1/4 Cup Vegan “Goat Cheese”
Instructions
- For the panisse: Bring the water, salt, and olive oil to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the garbanzo flour, whisking so it doesn’t form lumps. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan; about 10 minutes. Pour the batter into a greased pan and allow it to cool to room temperature. Slice into desired shapes and pan fry in oil until golden.
- For the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the sliced mushrooms, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Lay the mushrooms out on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Leave the oven on and set the mushrooms aside.
- For the asparagus: Toss the asparagus together with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay the spears on a sheet pan or baking pan and roast in the oven until soft but not mushy; about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- For the puree: In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the leeks in olive oil until softened; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, thinning with water as needed to achieve a puree that is silky-smooth and can be spooned on a plate without turning into a soupy puddle.
- To finish: Place 2 – 3 stalks of asparagus on each plate. Top each with a piece of chickpea panisse, spoon some of the puree on top, and add a piece or two of roasted mushroom. Toss the greens with olive oil, sliced radish, salt, and pepper. Add the dressed greens to the plate and crumble a small amount of the vegan cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
Adapted from Chef Sascha Weiss of The Plant Café Organic
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 543Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 553mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 11gSugar: 9gProtein: 17g
Now this is a triumph Ms Hannah and just the eye candy I needed this morning. Narf77 is sick and needs all the eye candy and food promise she can get (apparently in the third person ;) ). I got a gorgeous garden fix from one of my followed blogs with glorious peony tulips, a festival of intertwined snakes (and one with a green caterpillar hat emerging from hibernation) from another and now I get a most gorgeous looking recipe, full of possibilities, flavour profiles and awesome promise. I might be sick and it might be pouring down raining but who cares, the world is amazing out there :)
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that you’re feeling under the weather! That shouldn’t be possible in the first place… You’re kind of super-human, right? At least that’s what it looks like from your prolific cooking, crafting, and gardening. No matter, I truly admire your positive perspective all the same.
Lol Isn’t it amazing how we can be superhuman online but in reality we are fallible, bad tempered, occasionally ill and predominately human in all of our glorious weaknesses ;). I am an optimist so I do try to find silver linings but other than that I am as twitchy and OCD as the next person ;)
That looks amazing!
beautiful!
Wow the plating is beautiful, and I’m sure it’s equally delicious!
This is so pretty, great way to use all those veggies.
The farmers market sounds like so much fun! I need to find one near me :) A lot of the ones they have here are on Thursdays at 11 am, when people are working, which confuses me – but a weekend one would be awesome!
Yummmm…. lovely Hannah..
I love panisse – definitely going to have to try this (or a less classy version of it!) at home
The Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market — the thing I miss the most from living in the Bay area. LA has a couple of pretty good ones, but nothing like the FPFM. Sigh. Love the pannise recipe, and the blog, as always.
Hi Anne Curtis,
Have you every gone to the Ferry Building farmer’s market and if so seen this place? Oh, you live in such a fun city! Last night, I recreated the sandwich that Patty had at that diner we all ate at for lunch. I mad a seitan roast and then shaved it thin, grilled it to make the edges crispy to make copy hers. It turned out great!
Love, Pam