“An ode to Le Manoir’s famous vegetable garden. This vegetarian casserole can be turned into a feast, served with bowls of cheese, crème fraîche, sundried tomatoes and, of course, a loaf of good-quality bread,” says Raymond Blanc. “The pistou sauce takes only a few minutes to make and can be stirred into the casserole or served in a bowl on the side so that your guests can help themselves.
“This casserole also features chervil, which I love, although in Britain it is not a celebrated herb. But I urge you to try it, and even to grow it – chervil thrives in our climate. This recipe is a guide, so please be inspired by the season’s produce, and replace these ingredients accordingly.”
Potager Casserole
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 small onion
1 large garlic clove
160g new potatoes
1 small leek
1 large carrot
1 stick of celery
60g fine green beans
120g frozen broad beans or peas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and ground white pepper
700ml boiling water
4 jarred artichoke hearts
1 tin (400g) cannellini beans or white haricot beans
For the pistou:
A bunch of basil
2 garlic cloves
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 pinches of sea salt flakes
A pinch of ground black pepper
To serve:
10g chervil
Method:
1. Make the pistou: coarsely chop the basil. Chop the garlic to a purée. Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to the boil, and meanwhile half-fill a medium-sized bowl with iced water. Plunge the basil into the pan of boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Remove and refresh in the cold water, and then drain. With a stick blender or in a food processor, blend the blanched basil with the extra-virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper to a purée. (Pistou can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for four days. It also freezes well).
2. To prepare, dice the onion. Crush the garlic to a purée. Quarter the potatoes. Remove and discard the two outer layers of the leek, halve it lengthways, coarsely chop and wash. Halve the carrot lengthways and coarsely chop it. Coarsely chop the celery. Coarsely chop the green beans (about two centimetres). Place the frozen broad beans (or peas) in a small bowl and cover with water straight from a boiled kettle.
3. In a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and bay leaf, along with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for about three minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, leek, carrot, celery and green beans. Stir and continue to sweat the vegetables for a further three minutes.
5. Pour in the boiling water and simmer for 12-14 minutes. Test the vegetables are cooked by simply tasting. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the artichoke hearts and cannellini beans (or haricot beans). Drain the broad beans (or peas) and add these to the pan. Chop the chervil and add it. If using pistou, now is the time to add it – to your taste – and stir it into the casserole. If necessary, reheat the casserole, divide it into four shallow bowls and serve.
‘Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden’ by Raymond Blanc (Headline Home, £26).
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