Summer Meal

Chef Todd English
Olives Restaurant
NY, NY

Menu:
Chilled Spring Pea Soup And Mixed Pea Salad
with Minted Creme Fraiche
Griddled Pork Medallions with Corn Pudding
Ginger Custard with Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote

Chilled Spring Pea Soup

Ingredients:
1 Onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 –3 qts. Chicken stock or water
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. Fresh or shucked frozen peas (save 3/4 cup reserved for salad)
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped mint
1 Tablespoon creme fraiche
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Method:
In a sauce pan, with 1 T. olive oil, sweat the onions and celery for 3 to 4 minutes and add the stock and bring to boil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Let chill at least to room temperature.
While stock is cooling, if using the fresh shucked peas, blanch in hot water till bright and cool by plunging into an ice bath. Otherwise, defrost frozen peas according to package directions. Add to stock.
Puree the soup until smooth in blender and add creme fraiche and place in the refrigerator and chill for up to one hour.

Salad Ingredients:
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup snow peas
3/4 cup fresh shucked peas
1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from half a lemon
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method: Blanch the peas in boiling water and plunge in iced cold water. Remove and pat dry with a paper towel and place in a bowl. Toss with the olive oil and lemon juice salt and pepper and place decoratively on the soup.

Minted Creme Fraiche

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 Tablespoons creme fraiche
1 teaspoon olive oil
juice of one lemon

Method:
Combine all ingredients.
Place a nice dollop of this on each bowl of soup.

Griddled Pork Medallions with Cherry Chutney
and Jalapeno Corn Pudding

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 lbs. Pork, cut into medallions

Marinade:
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. fresh ginger [chopped]
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
zest and juice of 1 orange

Method: Combine marinade ingredients and marinate pork at least 2 hours.

Heat a griddle over a medium flame. Fry on each side until golden brown.

Cherry Chutney

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. cherries, pitted and chopped
1 small red onion
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 Tbs. finely chopped scallions

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium flame for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and chill.

Corn Pudding

Ingredients:
4 ears of corn, with kernels removed and husks discarded
1 small white onion, minced
1/4 C. butter
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 C. semolina flour
1 1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. scallion, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Method: Corn Pudding
In a medium sauce pan over medium/high heat, combine corn, onion, 1/8 C. of butter, and milk. Stir to combine and whisk in semolina. Once it thickens, add scallions and remaining butter.

Sweet Ginger Custard with Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients:
2 C. milk
2 Tbs. creme fraiche
2 C. sugar
8 egg yolks
One piece ginger root, approx. thumb sized (1-1/2-inch long), thinly sliced
One stalk rhubarb, approx. 10-12 inches long, thinly sliced (1/8 inch)
1/2 pint ripe strawberries, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 C. water

Method Custard:
Bring 1 C. sugar, milk, and ginger to a boil. Strain mixture into the creme fraiche and mix well. Add this to the egg yolks, mix well and distribute evenly among four small oven-proof bowls.
Bake in the preheated 275 F. oven until set, approx. 30-45 min.
Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Method for the Compote:
In a saucepan, bring the remaining cup of sugar and 1/2 C. water to a boil, stirring to mix. Add rhubarb to this syrup and remove from heat. Allow to stand until cool, and mix with strawberries.

Spoon over each custard and serve.