You Asked: Café Grace’s fried chickpea cake.
Makes 6 main-dish servings or 10 to 12 appetizer servings
Panisse cake: 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) butter 1 quart water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil to sauté (divided)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1⁄4 cups chickpea flour Gruyere fondue:
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 1⁄2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste Vegetables (see note):
Asparagus, cut on the bias, cooked until tender
Cherry tomatoes, quartered, sautéed
Oyster mushrooms, sliced, sautéed
Make panisse cake: First, brown the butter. In a small saucepan, set butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling or stirring occasionally until butter starts to foam and color changes to a rich golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium to large saucepan, bring the water, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to a boil. Then slowly stir in the chickpea flour. Once thoroughly combined, mix in the brown butter.
Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate or 8-inch square pan and place in refrigerator until solid. This will take about 45 minutes. Then slice into about 2-by-3-inch pieces, wedges or any other shape you’d like.
Make the fondue: In a heavy saucepan, combine cheese and cream over medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly, until cheese has melted. Put egg yolks in a medium bowl and
slowly ladle small amounts of the cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Once mixed together, return mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. This will take about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Cook the vegetables: Cook asparagus in boiling water or in the microwave until tender, and sauté the tomatoes and mushrooms. Mix together and season to taste with salt or other seasonings.
To serve: In a skillet, sauté the cakes in olive oil on each side until golden brown. Top each cake with some of the fondue and surround with the sautéed vegetables.
Note: Panisse cakes can be served with any variety of vegetables. Tester used 1 bunch of asparagus, a pint of cherry tomatoes and 8 ounces of mushrooms.