Tilth Restaurant

Maria’s Recipes

CELERIAC SOUP
SERVES 4
Chef Maria Hines, Tilth Restaurant, Seattle
3 celeriac (celery root), peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste (white pepper, if possible)
Truffle oil or a really good extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Combine chopped celeriac, cream and stock in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until celeriac is tender. Keep an eye on the mixture to keep a film from developing on top. Gently stir if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Puree the soup in batches. Return to pot to keep warm until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil.

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ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD
SERVES 4
Chef Maria Hines, Tilth Restaurant, Seattle
1 sprig thyme
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into small dice
1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into small dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
For the vinaigrette:
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 sprig tarragon, leaves finely chopped
1 sprig chervil, fronds finely chopped
3 chive stalks, finely chopped
1 cup crème fraiche
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a pot of boiling water, add the thyme and diced parsnip and celery root. Cook for several minutes until tender. Remove the parsnip and celery root from the water and set aside. In the same pot, add the diced carrot and blanch until tender. Strain and add to the parsnip and celery root. Set aside to cool.

For the vinaigrette, combine the parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives with the crème fraiche and red wine vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss dressing with root vegetable mixture.

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CAULIFLOWER FLAN
SERVES 4
Chef Maria Hines, Tilth Restaurant, Seattle

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, preferably organic, beaten
1 bouquet garni (tie together with butcher string: 2 whole branches of fresh parsley, 2 branches fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf)
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 quart water to a boil and set aside.

Blanch the cauliflower in boiling water for several minutes until tender. Drain. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the puree into a saucepan with the heavy cream and bouquet garni. Let steep over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt and ground white pepper to taste. Strain mixture through a fine-meshed sieve.

To the beaten eggs, slowly add about ¼ cup of the cauliflower liquid while whisking to temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling. Add the eggs to the cauliflower and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Butter 4 6-ounce ramekins and set them in a shallow baking pan. Pour the custard into the 4 ramekins. Cover the ramekins with a sheet of parchment paper (one sheet to cover all four is okay). Place baking dish with ramekins in the oven. Add enough of the hot water to the baking dish to surround the outside of the ramekins (about half way up the sides of the ramekins). This creates a water bath and helps the custard cook more gently.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the flans are set. Remove from oven. To serve, gently slide the blade of a paring knife along the edge of the ramekin to loosen the flan. Tip over onto the center of a dinner plate.

This can be served with grilled meat or seafood.

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