Huerto - Verduras tiernas, jamón, hierbas silvestres y flores

Ingredients

• Rind from 4lemons
• Juice from 1/4lemon
• al gustoolive oil
• al gustosalt
• 1/2 large bulbfennel, trimmed and cored
• 50 gbutter, diced
• 125 mlwater
• Una pizcagoma xantana
• Una pizcasalt
• 100 gjamón or prosciutto, sliced
• 50 gtoasted breadcrumbs
• 200 gJamón Ibérico, diced
• 20 gcarrot, diced
• 20 gbrown onion, diced
• 20 gcelery, diced
• 4 ggarlic
• 2white peppercorns
• 1 sprigthyme
• 1/2bay leaf
• 800 mlchicken stock
• 3radishes
• 1/4 bulbfennel
• 6baby orange carrots
• 6baby purple carrots
• 6red radishes
• 6baby turnips
• 6baby leeks
• 6green asparagus tips
• 6baby golden beetroots
• 6baby purplette onions
• 6finger fennel
• 6baby onions
• 1white sweet potato
• 6 baby potatoes or 1 large potatopotatoes (scoop the large one into balls if using)
• 240 ml (1 cup)olive oil, chilled
• 12wild fennel fronds
• 1 punnetmicro shiso
• 1 punnetmicro mâche
• 12 leavesnasturtium leaves
• 12nasturtium petals
• 12violets

Instructions

1. 1

   Make lemon purée

   Put the lemon rind in boiling water, then drain it. Repeat this blanching process twice more. Blend the rind with the lemon juice on high, adding just enough olive oil to make a smooth purée. Season with salt and transfer to a squeeze bottle.

2. 2

   Make fennel purée

   Roughly chop the fennel. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat, add the fennel and cook for 20–30 minutes until tender and caramelised. Add a little water if it starts to stick. Pass the fennel through a sieve, pressing out the liquid, then blend it on high until smooth, adding just enough olive oil. If the oil separates, add a pinch of xanthan gum. Pass through a fine sieve, season with salt and keep in a squeeze bottle until needed.

3. 3

   Prepare ham soil

   Dry the sliced ham in a low oven for 20–25 minutes, or until dehydrated. Blend to a fine crumble and mix with the toasted breadcrumbs.

4. 4

   Make the consommé

   Slowly caramelise the diced jamón in a large saucepan until it starts frying in its own fat. Strain off and reserve the fat. In the same pan, gently sweat the carrot, onion, celery and garlic until coloured. Add the peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until the mixture begins to fry again. Return the ham to the pan with 400 ml chicken stock; simmer for 30–60 minutes, then strain and reserve the liquid. Add the remaining stock to the solids and simmer for another 30–60 minutes. Strain and discard the solids, then combine the two stocks, bring to the boil and skim well. Strain through muslin and chill in the refrigerator. Lift off and discard any solidified fat. Whisk two egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the stock in a pot. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, then strain carefully through muslin. Season to taste and leave the consommé to set into a jelly.

5. 5

   Shave vegetables

   Shave the radishes and fennel on a mandolin. Keep them between damp paper towels until needed.

6. 6

   Blanch vegetables

   Blanch each of the listed vegetables in a large pan of boiling salted water, refreshing each in iced water. Store them in the refrigerator until needed.

7. 7

   Roast vegetables

   Roast the baby onions and white sweet potato at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until caramelised. Store them in the refrigerator until needed.

8. 8

   Prepare the garnish

   Wash the leaves, shoots and flowers in cold water, then store them in the refrigerator.

9. 9

   Assemble and serve

   Warm all the components. Put a large dot of fennel purée at the bottom of a large bowl and top it with a smaller dot of lemon purée. Add a little ham consommé jelly, then cover with the ham soil. Arrange the vegetables on top and finish with the shaved vegetables, leaves, shoots and flowers.

What is a garden-bed vegetable dish?

This is a composed restaurant-style plate inspired by a spring vegetable garden, rather than a single traditional stew or salad. Its garden-bed effect comes from arranging small vegetables, herbs and edible flowers over a savoury crumb.

This version pairs young vegetables with Spanish Ibérico ham, a clear ham consommé and contrasting fennel and lemon purées. The mix of sweet roots, savoury ham and fresh, sharp accents gives each bite a different balance.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 610 calories, 22g protein, 40g carbs, 40g fat.

The potatoes, sweet potato and breadcrumbs provide most of the carbohydrate, while the olive oil, butter and jamón contribute much of the fat. Jamón, chicken stock and the small amount of egg white provide protein, though the exact amount depends on the final portions and how much consommé is served. For a more balanced plate, pair the dish with a plain grain or bread and keep the added oil modest.

The purées set the flavour

Lemon purée: Blanching the rind three times softens its bitterness before it is blended with juice and oil. Add the oil gradually so the result stays smooth rather than loose.

Fennel purée: Slow cooking with butter builds sweetness and tenderness. Pressing out the liquid before blending helps keep the purée concentrated; the recipe uses a pinch of xanthan gum if the oil separates.

Making clear ham consommé

Ham base: Let the diced jamón colour slowly so it releases its fat, then sweat the diced vegetables in the same pan. The two rounds of simmering draw flavour from both the ham and the aromatics.

Clarifying: Chilling makes it easier to lift away the set fat before the egg-white clarification. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer for the stated 10 minutes, then strain it carefully through muslin without disturbing the solids.

Keep each vegetable distinct

Blanch the vegetables separately, since their sizes and cooking times can differ. Refresh each batch in iced water to stop the cooking and help preserve its colour.

Roast the baby onions and sweet potato until caramelised, while the radishes and fennel are shaved raw for a crisp contrast. The recipe does not give blanching times, so check each piece as you go and remove it when tender but still holding its shape.

Build the plate in layers

Start with the larger fennel-purée dot, then add the smaller lemon-purée dot and a little consommé jelly. A blanket of ham crumb gives the vegetables a base and makes the plate resemble soil.

Arrange the vegetables with their shapes and colours visible, then add the shaved pieces and delicate garnishes at the end. Keep the flowers and shoots fresh-looking rather than burying them under the other ingredients.

Plan the work ahead

This dish has several separate components, so it is easier to prepare the purées, ham crumb and consommé in advance. The vegetables can also be blanched or roasted ahead and refrigerated as directed.

Allow time for the consommé to chill and set, and keep the final warming and assembly for just before serving. The method gives no total preparation time, so plan around the long simmering and chilling stages rather than trying to finish everything at once.

What to serve alongside

The plate is rich in savoury detail and already contains a range of vegetables, so it can be served on its own as a composed starter. For a more substantial meal, serve it with plain bread or a simply cooked grain.

Avoid a heavily dressed side that could compete with the lemon purée and consommé. A simple green salad is another light accompaniment if you want one.

Recipe notes & tips

• Blanch the lemon rind three times to soften its bitterness before blending.
• Add oil to each purée gradually so you can stop as soon as it becomes smooth.
• Keep the consommé at a low simmer during clarification rather than letting it boil vigorously.
• Refresh each blanched vegetable in iced water before storing it.
• Prepare the ham soil and purées ahead, then warm the components shortly before assembling.
• Add the leaves, shoots and flowers at the end so they stay fresh and visible.

Variations

• Use prosciutto: The listed sliced prosciutto can stand in for the ham in the crumb.
• Change the roots: Use a different mix of small seasonal vegetables while keeping the blanching and roasting methods.
• Add more acidity: Serve a little extra lemon purée alongside the vegetables.
• Make the crumb coarser: Blend the dried ham briefly for a chunkier soil texture.
• Adjust the herbs: Use the listed fresh herbs and edible flowers you can source locally.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the blanching repeats: The lemon rind can taste too bitter; drain and repeat the boiling-water step three times in total.
• Overcooking the fennel: It can lose its fresh flavour; cook it until tender and caramelised, checking as it goes.
• Boiling the consommé hard: The stock may not clarify cleanly; keep it at a low simmer during the egg-white stage.
• Leaving vegetables in hot water: They continue to cook; refresh each batch promptly in iced water.
• Adding all the purée oil at once: The texture may turn loose or split; blend it in gradually.
• Assembling too early: Warm components can wilt the flowers and shoots; garnish just before serving.

How to store

Keep the cooked components covered in the refrigerator and use within 2 days. Store the washed flowers and leaves separately, and assemble only when ready to serve. Reheat the vegetables and consommé gently; serve the fresh garnishes cold.

Frequently asked questions