English Pea Pesto + Preserved Lemon Puree

I consider myself a decent cook. Throw me in the kitchen with a slab of meat, some fresh veggies, possibly an egg (hopefully some rum) and there’s a chance something tasty will result. I also tend to over-think things. What I lack in skill, I try desperately to make up for in creativity. But after chatting with Charlie Parker, executive chef at Oakland’s, Haven, I realized there’s no need for fancy gadgets or million-step recipes to make elegant food. Fresh, quality ingredients go a long way. Case in point, this Monterey sardine, avocado, and radish, topped with a few sprigs of cilantro delfino. Sometimes a simple homemade sauce or condiment can be what elevates a dish. For example, preserved lemon puree perfectly accents this simple plate of roasted delta asparagus, fried egg, spring onion and brown butter. Sure, unlike chef Parker, you might not be able to get your hands on a whole Don Watson lamb to butcher at home. But blending up a little English pea pesto is most certainly doable. Garnish with a few local greens and you’re sitting pretty. Of course, sometimes it’s best just to kick back and let the pros do it for you. At Haven, chef Parker playfully dances the line between fine dining elegance and wholesome comfort food. He was nice enough to share a few of the aforementioned components with us today. Recipes for his English pea pesto and preserved lemon puree can be found below!

ENGLISH PEA PESTO

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 cups English peas, blanched
• 2 Meyer lemons, zested on a micro plane
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 8 mint leaves, chiffonade
• black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

• In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts until roughly chopped.
• Add the peas and drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running.
• Pour the pea mixture into a bowl and fold in the mint, lemon zest, salt and black pepper.

PRESERVED LEMON PUREE

Ingredients:

• 3 ea. preserved lemons (everything but the seeds)
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup of simple syrup

Directions:

• Place everything into a blender and purée for approximately 2 minutes or until completely smooth. Add more water if necessary. The puree should be able to hold form on a plate.

(images by HonestlyYUM)