The Schoolhouse's Chef LaBant: Extra Credit on Yelp
Chef LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton is doing his homework. The followng is an exchange from a Yelp reviewer, Andrew R. Fairfield, CT, who posted a comment on a dish he had particularly enjoyed at The Schoolhouse, Braised baby carrots with a harissa sauce, dates, fried crispy chic peas and mâché. A few weeks later, LaBant responded with the recipe for this very dish. Here's the post and the recipe:
"Back tonight 2 weeks later and will add that I was privy to one of the single best first courses I have had in a restaurant in quite a long time. Braised baby carrots with a harissa sauce, dates, fried crispy chic peas and mâché - there was an underlying hint of garam masala that united the dish and played off the spicy harissa. BRAVO chef! & might I add -not a spec of meat." --Andrew R.
"Here is my personal recipe if you are ever so inclined to make it" -- Chef LaBant
Braised Baby Carrots With a Harissa Sauce, Dates, Fried Crispy Chic Peas and Mâché.
Candied Carrots
1kilo baby carrots (peeled and trimmed)
200 g virgin olive oil
17 g fennel seed
17 g coriander
125 g sugar
7 g star anise
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
Peel of 1 lemon
16 g salt ( may need more)
Put everything except carrots in a pot and bring to a boil
Add carrots, bring back to boil
Once carrots are boiling reduce heat to medium
Simmer about five minutes until carrots are almost tender and remove from heat
Let carrots cool in liquid
Harrisa Red Pepper Dressing
250 g piquillo peppers (peeled & seeded)
110 g peppadew peppers
1 handful mint
1 clove garlic
100 g lime juice (zest of 4 limes)
60 g extra virgin olive oil
150 g Greek yogurt
8 g sugar
7 g salt
15 g toasted ground spice mix
{coriander, cumin, fennel seed, star anise, cinnamon}
2 shakes tabasco
8 cranks on a puegot pepper grinder
Put all ingredients in blender and puree, adjust seasoning (for smoother texture pass through a chinois on fine mesh seive)
Assembly
1 spoonful harissa on plate
Saute carrots in a pan with a little oil or butter, adjust salt if needed add a few pitted Medjool dates until hot. Place on top of Harissa.
Garnish with Mache or arugala dressed with a little oil and lime juice.
