Menestra de Verduras in Textures: The Authentic Spanish Recipe

02

Step-by-step method

1. 01
   

   Prepare the vegetables

   Clean the vegetables. Peel the carrots and cut them into thick sticks. Remove the toughest green part from the leeks, wash them, and cut them into four-centimeter pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-sized pieces of similar size. Remove the tips from the green beans and cut them into four or five centimeter pieces.

2. 02
   

   Cook the vegetables

   Put a large pot with water and half a teaspoon of salt. When it boils, add the carrots, leeks, potatoes, and green beans. Cook for ten or twelve minutes, until they are tender but firm. If the potato needs more time, remove it at the end of the cooking time for the other vegetables.

3. 03
   

   Clean the artichokes

   Remove the tough outer leaves, cut the tips, and lightly peel the stems. Rub the artichokes with the juice of half a lemon to prevent them from darkening and cut them into halves or quarters.

4. 04
   

   Brown the artichokes

   Heat a skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the artichokes and cook over medium heat for six to eight minutes, turning them carefully, until they are golden brown on the outside and tender in the center. If they are large, cover the skillet for a couple of minutes. Set them aside.

5. 05
   

   Prepare the sauce

   Drain the vegetables and reserve the cooking water. In another pot or saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil and add a chopped clove of garlic. Cook for a few seconds without browning too much, add the flour, and stir for a minute.

6. 06
   

   Bind the vegetables

   Gradually add 250 milliliters of vegetable broth, stirring to avoid lumps. Cook for three or four minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the carrots, leeks, potatoes, and green beans, mixing gently. Adjust the salt and add more cooking water if the sauce is too dense.

7. 07
   

   Cook the peas

   Put the peas in a saucepan with some of the remaining vegetable broth and cook for four or five minutes, until they are tender and retain their green color.

8. 08
   

   Blend the cream

   Blend the peas with the second clove of garlic, a tablespoon of olive oil, and black pepper. Add broth gradually until you get a smooth and creamy cream. For a finer texture, pass it through a strainer.

9. 09
   

   Heat the asparagus

   Briefly heat the cooked white asparagus in a clean skillet or in the saucepan used for the sauce. Cut them into large pieces so they can be distinguished when serving.

10. 10
    

    Assemble the dish

    Place a base of pea cream. Distribute the bound vegetables on top: potato, carrot, leek, and green beans. Add the asparagus and finish with the golden artichokes.

11. 11
    

    Finish and serve

    Distribute the chopped fresh parsley and add a few drops of the remaining olive oil from the skillet. Serve the menestra hot, but not boiling, to better appreciate its flavors and textures.

12. 12
    

    Organize in advance

    If you prepare it in advance, cook the vegetables and sauce separately, keep the pea cream aside, and assemble the dish just before serving.