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If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at molecular gastronomy, this recipe from the new Brae cookbook, by Australian chef Dan Hunter, is a great starting place. Tender peeled and blanched asparagus spears are seasoned with salt and lemon-infused oil, then joined by several other elegant components: a spinach-derived chlorophyll and pistachio purée, a fluffy granita of frozen and shaved vegetable juices speckled with lovage leaves, and delicate edible flowers from pea and watermelon radish plants. Yes, there are several steps to undertake, but many of them can be performed ahead, and the strikingly pure result on the plate is certainly worth the trouble.
If you don’t have a Pacojet and can’t justify buying one, you can use a food processor to blend the pistachios. They won’t have the same perfectly smooth texture you can achieve with the higher-end equipment, but they’ll be good enough for your enjoyment at home.
Since you’ll be eating the flowers, make sure they are from a source that guarantees they are free of pesticides and safe for consumption.
To make the most of fresh spring asparagus, get our Roasted Asparagus recipe, and our Fettuccine with Pesto, Asparagus, and Artichoke recipe.
The revolutionary Pacojet is beloved by professional chefs worldwide. A serious piece of kitchen equipment, it allows you to micro-puree frozen food of any kind to create perfectly smooth mousses, sauces, emulsions, and sorbets that retain all the original flavor, aroma, and nutrients of the ingredients.
Buy on Amazon ›For the pistachio purée:
For the chlorophyll and pistachio:
For the frozen radish:
For the pea and radish flowers:
To serve:
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