Recipe: Smoked Rainbow Carrot Napoleon

NGI was thrilled to participate in the James Beard Foundation's 7th Annual Leadership Awards earlier this week. These awards are given to leaders in the food industry who have demonstrated the important and complex realms of sustainability, food access, and public health. Chef Olivia Roszkowski developed the unique hors d'oeuvre recipes for the event, keeping sustainability in mind by using the entire plant, from root to frond. These smoked rainbow carrot Napoleon are full of delicious flavor and leave behind zero food scraps. Find the recipe below and make these for the next cocktail party you host!

Recipe

SMOKED RAINBOW CARROT NAPOLEON WITH GREEN TOP PESTO & BLACK PEPPER CASHEW 'CREMA'

(Yield: Approximately 37 Napoleon)

Ingredients

For the Smoked Carrot Rounds:

• 1 ½ pounds large rainbow carrots with tops, scrubbed and cut into ¼ inch rounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons indoor wood chips

For the Carrot Top Pesto:

• ¾ cup filtered water
• ¼ cup agar flakes
• 3 tablespoons sea salt, for blanching
• 3 bunches parsley, destemmed (some stem is okay)
• Reserved carrot tops, destemmed (approximately ½ cup)
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon umeboshi paste
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil

For the Carrot Stem Salt:

• Reserved carrot tops (3/4 cup)
• Pinch sea salt, or to taste

For the Black Pepper Cashew ‘Crema’:

• ¾ cup filtered water
• 3 tablespoons agar flakes
• 1 cup cashews, soaked, drained and rinsed
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

For the Carrot Top Garnish:

• ¼ cup small carrot top leaves
• 1 cup cold water

Directions

For the Smoked Carrot Rounds:

1. Toss cut carrots with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
2. Arrange the wood chips in an indoor smoker and smoke carrots for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Spread smoked carrot pieces onto parchment-lined sheet trays and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cover trays with foil, if carrots start picking up color.

For the Carrot Top Pesto:

1. Add water and agar flakes to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook on low, covered, for 10 minutes, or until agar flakes dissolve.  Keep warm until ready to use.
2. Bring medium pot filled halfway up with water, and salt, to a boil. Set up ice bath.
3. Blanche parsley and carrot tops in boiling water for approximately 10 to 20 seconds, or until wilted and still bright green. Plunge to cool in ice bath.  Squeeze out water thoroughly from greens and chop.
4. Place toasted walnuts in a food processor and pulse. Add chopped greens, along with miso, umeboshi paste, chopped garlic, lemon juice and pulse until smooth.  Stream in agar mixture and oil until mixture reaches a pipeable consistency.
5. Place into a large piping bag, outfitted with a large tip.

For the Carrot Stem Salt:

1. Arrange carrot tops in a single layer on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate in a dehydrator at 105 degrees F (or spread out on a Silpat-lined sheet tray and bake in a convection oven at the lowest temperature), for 30 minutes, or until completely dry.
2. Pulverize into powder using a spice grinder. Season with salt.
3. Place in a strainer and dust over carrot napoleons once already placed on serving tray.

For the Black Pepper Cashew ‘Crema’:

1. Add water and agar to saucepan. Bring to simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until agar dissolves.
2. Blend agar mixture, cashews, salt, pepper and vinegar in a high-speed blender until velvety smooth.
3. Place into a large piping bag outfitted with a large tip, and refrigerate until firm.

For the Carrot Top Garnish:

1. Reserve small carrot top leaves for garnish.
2. Place in cold water to prevent wilting.

To Assemble:

1. Place cooked carrot piece on flat surface. Pipe small amount of pesto, followed by a second piece of carrot.
2. Top with cashew crema, another carrot and carrot top. Arrange on trays and dust with carrot stem salt.

This post was originally published by the Natural Gourmet Institute. Learn more about today's Natural Gourmet Center.