Here in the California Bay Area the flowers and trees are a bit confused. The Winter has been mild to say the least and we are experiencing temperatures in the 70's in January! But the next thing you know, we have some rain or temperatures dip into the 40's and 50s. So I am anxious and excited to see what Nature will present us with as we enter Spring.
Whether I am testing out some recipes, foraging for wild edibles, or harvesting from the urban farm and garden, I am often thinking of what to make with leftover ingredients or the bounty of fresh produce that can, at times, get away from me.
One of those ingredients seems to be the humble green scallion. Often used as a garnish and requiring only a small amount, I wanted to showcase it's flavor and expand how you can use this as the start ingredient in a dish. In this recipe from Rory O'Connell, I have provided some adaptations to give you more flexibility to make this as an appetizer or a side dish depending on what you have available. Substituting out for wild leeks/onions or standard leeks, this is also a wonderful dish to incorporate freshly foraged mushrooms of the season!
Here's what you will need:
24 fat scallions trimmed of any tired outside leaves (leave the root ends on)
4 tablespoons olive oil (divided into 2 tablespoons, 1 tablespoon, 1 tablespoon) with extra oil for final drizzle.
Salt and pepper
8 oz. Mushrooms coarsely chopped (Crimini, Portobello, Shitake, whatever is in season)
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
8 anchovies, 4 chopped and 4 left whole
1 tablespoon water
50g coarse sourdough breadcrumbs
2 Hard Boiled Eggs shelled and each egg halved lengthways (you can also do a soft boiled or soft poached egg, yum!)
Let's make this!
Preheat your oven to broil and have a rack at the highest position so it is as close to the broiler as possible. The direct heat of the grill produces the best result.
Toss the scallions in the 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and place under the grill. Cook them until completely tender by which time some of the scallion ends will have become slightly charred. This is crucial for the finished flavour of the dish. This takes about 6 minutes under my broiler, it might take longer in yours. Be sure to turn the scallions with tongs 3-4 times during the cooking to ensure a good result. When the scallions are sufficiently tender and nicely roasted, remove from the tray and allow to cool at room temperature (they can also very good served warm).
Toss the breadcrumbs in 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread in an even layer on the same baking sheet the scallions were cooked on.
Place under the grill or in the hot oven and allow to become crisp and turns to a nice toasted brown. Do not walk away from your oven, the toasting happens in only a matter of minutes. Turn them once or twice during the cooking time. Be vigilant here as they will crisp and color quickly. Once ready remove and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the mushroom. Season with salt and pepper and fry until juicy and cooked.
Take the cooked mushrooms, along with any cooking juice, and place into a food processor and allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped anchovies and blend. Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and water and blend again to achieve a puree that does not need to be completely smooth. Taste and correct seasoning.
Time to assemble!
On each of the 4 plates, place a 6 scallions in a circle pattern.
Spoon 1/4 of the mushroom puree on top followed by ½ a hard boiled egg and a whole anchovy, also in a circle pattern.
Sprinkle some toasted breadcrumbs (or what we call pan gratatta) and finish with a small drizzle of olive oil.
Notes:
This recipe serves 4 people as an appetizer. To make as a side dish, simply double the recipe -- serve on a platter with all the garnishes on top and allow guests to take what they would like. If you would like to serve this as a lunch or supper dish you could serve one egg per person and instead of the hard boiled egg, serve with a soft poached egg (this makes for wonderful dipping with a nice piece of crusty bread)!
If substituting out wild leeks/onion or standard leeks, use the following measurement: wild leeks/onion (1 bunch or a generous bunch that you can barely encircle in one hand), standard leek (2 leeks).
If you want to substitute the anchovy on top, you can sprinkle some flaky salt (like Maldon's) or truffle salt.
Don't be shy when broiling your scallions -- you want enough of a char on them to maximize their flavor and to ensure they are tender.
As this dish is being served as a starter in this meal, I have allowed just half an egg per serving. If you would like to serve this as a lunch or supper dish you could serve one egg per person and instead of the hard boiled egg suggested here, I sometimes served a soft poached and that too is very good.
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