Herbed Vegetable Cakes

Directions

Prepare the Vegetable Cakes: Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 10 of the prettiest large spinach leaves to the water and blanch for 15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh under cold water. Spread spinach leaves out on paper towels to drain.

Add potato, leek and garlic to a pot and cook for 8 minutes. Add parsley, remaining spinach and watercress; cook for 3 minutes. Add lettuce and chervil and cook for 3 minutes longer. Drain all vegetable in a large colander and refresh under cold water. Gather vegetables into a ball with your hands and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.

Place vegetables in a food processor and puree, scraping down the sides every 20 seconds, until very, very smooth. Add eggs, crème fraîche, and a good pinch of nutmeg. Puree until thoroughly blended. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 325°. Generously butter five 6 ounce ramekins or custard cups and line them with reserved blanched spinach leaves. Fill the lined molds with vegetable puree. Bake in a warm water bath until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove molds from water bath. (These can be prepared ahead and then re-warmed in a hot water bath in the oven until heated through).

Prepare the Garish: In a medium saucepan, cook the peas in boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, refresh under cold water and drain well. Add snow peas to sauce pan and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove, refresh in cold water & drain well. Add the fava bean to water and cook for 4 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold waster and remove their tough skins by gently squeezing beans between thumb and index finger. Cut the snow peas into diamond and place in a medium skillet along with favas and peas. Add butter and set aside until serving time.

Prepare the sauce: In a small heavy saucepan, combine lemon juice and zest, shallot and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by two thirds. Add crème fraîche and reduce the heat to medium. When cream simmers, whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. When all butter has been incorporated and mixture is creamy, remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

To Serve: Reheat vegetable cakes, if necessary. Warm peas and beans in butter in skillet over medium heat. Run a flexible knife around inner rim of the vegetable cakes to loosen them, then unmold onto 5 rimmed serving plates. Garnish each with peas and beans. Spoon some lemon butter over all and sprinkle with small chervil springs. Makes 5 servings as a main course.