Noodle Galettes with Sautéed Mushrooms and Cumin-Infused Celery Root Broth

Noodle Galettes with
Sautéed Mushrooms
and Cumin-Infused Celery Root Broth

Serves 4

Noodle Galettes
This dish is lovely for a special dinner, and it's much easier to prepare than it looks. Sautéing the galette in a little butter slightly browns and crisps the edges while leaving the noodles inside satisfyingly chewy. Sautéed mushrooms and lettuce provide earthiness and a delicate crunchiness respectively to complement the crispy noodles. Everything swims in a full-flavored but light cumin-infused celery root broth. The resulting flavor and texture combination is utterly haunting. for more substance, a piece of chicken or fish can be placed right on top of the noodles.

8 ounces capellini
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
l cup oyster mushrooms
1 cup hedgehog mushrooms
1 head Boston lettuce, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons verjuice
6 cups celery root juice
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 cup celery leaves
2 tablespoons chiffonade-cut red swiss chard
4 teaspoons olive oil

Method
To prepare the Galette: Cook the capellini in boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with plastic wrap and spread the warm capellini evenly in the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, place another 8 by 8-inch pan on top of the capellini, and weight it down with a brick or other heavy ovenproof object. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Remove the weighted pan and the top layer of plastic wrap from the galette. Using a 2-1/2 inch ring cutter, cut 4 discs out of the noodle galette. Place 1 tablespoon of the butter in a hot, nonstick sauté pan and quickly add the 4 galettes. Cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the galettes from the pan and blot on paper towels.

To prepare the mushrooms and lettuce: Place the shallot and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a hot sauté pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the oyster and hedgehog mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Add the Boston lettuce and verjuice, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the lettuce is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly
To prepare the broth: Simmer the celery root juice and cumin over medium heat for 10 minutes and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place some of the mushroom and lettuce mixture in the center of each shallow bowl and top with a warm galette. Ladle some of the celery root broth into the bowls and sprinkle with the celery leaves and swiss chard. Drizzle the olive oil around the plates and top with freshly ground black pepper.

Wine Notes
Celery root is the dominant flavor of this dish. The lean and aromatic style of a Gavi from Italy is a refreshing companion to this delicate broth and allows the flavors of the mushroom to shine through. A producer such as Massone, with its delicate acidity and floral aromatics, is perfect.

The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter
By Charlie Trotter
Ten Speed Press
Cloth, $29.95
240 pages
Publication Date: January 1999
ISBN: 0-89815-997-0
Information provided by the publisher.