If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at Le Grand Véfour, the restaurant that presides over the splendid Palais Royal in Paris, you’ll be treated to a culinary tour de force. In this jewel box of a restaurant, my advice is to sit back and let chef Guy Martin and his staff pamper you like royalty, which they have elevated to an art. When it comes time for dessert, you scan the menu, but… “Can that be right?” you think to yourself, trying to recall snippets of your high school French. Indeed, chef Martin is fond of using vegetables in unexpected ways, often in desserts. But if you’ve ever enjoyed a wedge of carrot cake, you’ll know that it’s not so strange. This ice cream is inspired by a dessert I had at his restaurant: a small, crispy cone filled with bright green ice cream that had the dewy taste of tiny spring peas. At home, in addition to serving it for dessert, I’ve found that it makes a lovely garnish to a bowl of chilled summer soup.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 quart (1 liter)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring about 3 quarts (3 liters) of lightly salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the peas. While the peas are cooking, fill a large bowl half full with ice cubes and water. After 10 minutes of cooking, drain the peas and add them to the ice water right away. After 1 minute, drain the peas in a mesh strainer and remove any pieces of ice. (Hold on to the saucepan and strainer, since you’ll use them again.)
Step 2
Warm the milk and sugar in the saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl, add the drained peas, and set the mesh strainer over the top.
Step 3
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the pan.
Step 4
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream and peas. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Step 5
Pour the mixture into a blender, add the mint leaves, and blend until smooth. Press the mixture through a coarse mesh strainer and discard any tough pea skins. You can also pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with a fine disk.
Step 6
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Perfect Pairing
Step 7
Use as a garnish for a cold summer soup, such as vichyssoise or cucumber-yogurt soup.
