Haricots Verts with roasted pearl onions and celery root flan
Ingredients:
6 bunches haricot verts (French green beans)
2 med maitake mushrooms (diced to a medium size)
½ white onion sliced thin
2 T butter
4 oz (½ bag – about 20 ea.) pearl onions
1 knob celery root (about 1 pound) peeled and diced
1 oz pancetta (or bacon) diced
2 shallots minced
1 clove garlic minced
½ cup white wine
8 oz heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
Serves 8 as side portions
Roast the onions by first peeling* them and coating them with some oil and place them on a flat roasting pan (or cookie sheet). Roast at high heat for about ½ hour until caramelized.
Snip the stems off the beans, and blanch for about 3 minutes in salted boiling water. Cook the beans through (not al dente) and plunge into ice water for a moment until chilled then drain well. Slice the beans in half or three pieces and lay on the bottom of an ovenproof casserole.
Saute the onion in the butter then add the mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes on high heat until the onion and the mushroom have taken on some color. Spoon the mixture over the green beans.
Render the pancetta in a large sauté pan and then add the garlic and then the shallots. Sweat the shallots for a minute and then add the celery root. Saute just long enough to give some color and then add some white wine. Allow to simmer until the vegetable is soft (about 10-15 minutes). Add more wine as the liquid evaporates away. Allow to cool a bit and then liquefy in a blender. Add the cream and then the eggs and cheese.
Pour the creamy mixture over the green beans and stud the top with the roasted pearl onions.
Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350 or until lightly browned on top. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve warm.
