Fennel panna cotta and toasted almond quinoa salad recipe

Ingredients

• 10 ounces fennel, chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) ice water
• 1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 small sprig fresh tarragon
• ½ teaspoon agar agar
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted and finely chopped
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh mint
• ½ teaspoon chopped candied ginger
• ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

• 8 young carrots, scrubbed and blanched
• ½ cup (4 ounces) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

To Prepare the Fennel Panna Cotta
1. Line a shallow small pan or dish (something 6 inches square is ideal) with plastic wrap.
2. Combine the fennel and ice water in a blender and puree for a good 30 seconds.
3. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
4. Pour 2 tablespoons of the fennel juice into a small ramekin. Sprinkle the gelatin over it and set it aside for several minutes.
5. In a medium saucepan over high heat warm the remaining fennel juice with the cream, ginger, and tarragon. When the mixture begins to boil, whisk in the agar agar and the gelatin liquid and cook for about 3 more minutes, until well combined.
6. Season well with salt and pepper, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
7. Pour the pudding into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the grated lemon zest. Cover the pan and chill the pudding in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.
To Prepare the Almond Quinoa Salad
8. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and reserve at room temperature.
To Prepare the Young Carrots
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
10. Combine carrots and other ingredients in a small roasting pan. Bake for 15–20 minutes until tender. Remove the carrots from the pan with tongs and set them aside to cool. Reserve the oil mixture in the pan to make a salad dressing.
To Prepare the Kohlrabi
11. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer and cook until the kohlrabi is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Putting it all together
12. Split open half of the peapods and fold them open to show their peas. Combine them and the raw carrot and cucumber slices in a bowl with enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll up each carrot into a tight roll, then roll up 8 cucumber slices in the same fashion. Scrape the remaining oil from cooking the young carrots into the bowl with the olive oil.
13. Slice the panna cotta into 8 squares or rectangles. Place 2 in the center of each of 4 plates. Arrange the other vegetables over and around them. Sprinkle the quinoa salad in a couple of different spots on each plate using it to help some of the vegetables stand in place. Drizzle the remaining oil mixture from the vegetables over the plates. Garnish with leaves and sprouts and serve.