Charred Celtuce
Celtuce Purée, Crème Fraîche, Kaluga Caviar, Pea Tendrils, Olive Oil
Chef Keith Rzepecki of Hestia | Austin, TX
Adapted by StarChefs | september 2023
INGREDIENTS
Crème Fraîche:
3 quarts heavy cream
1 pint buttermilk
400 grams fresh bay leaves
Charred Celtuce:
6 stalks celtuce
Celtuce Purée:
400 grams pea tendrils, blanched and shocked
100 grams olive oil
Salt
To Assemble and Serve:
10 grams Kaluga hybrid caviar
Pea tendril tips
Finishing olive oil
METHOD
For the Crème Fraîche:
Prepare and heat a wood-fired grill. In an airtight container, combine cream and buttermilk. Set aside. Place bay leaves in a grill basket and grill until they begin to char. Move leaves directly over flame until they catch fire. Quickly submerge leaves in the cream mixture to extinguish flame. Seal container and let steep 3 days at room temperature. Once infused, strain mixture and transfer to a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate.
For the Charred Celtuce:
Bury celtuce in the hot coals of a wood-fired grill without any active flame. Let roast 5 minutes, or until blackened and charred. Transfer celtuce to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, using a sharp knife, remove the charred skin and reserve. Using a Parisian scoop, scoop out spheres of celtuce. Set aside and reserve all scraps.
For the Celtuce Purée:
Let 250 grams reserved Charred Celtuce skin cool to room temperature. Transfer to a Vitamix blender with pea tendrils. Blend until smooth. Slowly stream in oil and blend until mixture is fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Let cool and set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a mixing bowl, gently dress 11 Charred Celtuce spheres with 1 tablespoon Celtuce Purée. Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with 1 large dot Crème Fraîche. Cover Charred Celtuce with caviar and pea tendrils. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
