SAUTÉED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, GORGONZOLA WHIP, PEAR, CHESTNUTS & AGED BALSAMIC

SERVES 4-6 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 10 MINUTES

The gorgonzola whip is best made using an ISA gun, but if you don’t have one just follow the alternative method.

280ml milk (or 140ml milk and 140ml cream if no ISA gun) 1 gelatine leaf, softened in water

120g gorgonzola cheese, diced (or any amazing blue cheese) 800g brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into quarters 60g unsalted butter

80g cooked chestnuts, chopped (from any

good speciality food market; we use Sabato)

2 brown pears, cored, diced balsamic vinegar, (the best balsamic you can find;

Giusti brand is always a winner) extra virgin olive oil (the best you can buy;

we use Number 29 olive oil)

To make the gorgonzola whip using an ISA gun, boil the milk and gelatine, then pour over the diced cheese mixing until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and put in the fridge to set. Once set, break it down a little and pour into an ISA gun and charge with gas. Give it a 15-30 second shake before you use it.

Alternatively, boil 140ml milk and gelatine, then pour over the diced cheese mixing until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and put in the fridge to set. Once set, use a mixer to beat for about 5 minutes to aerate, then very, very slowly beat in 140ml cream, until it is thick and creamy.

Cook the brussels sprouts in boiling salted water for 45 seconds, then drain well and keep dry on a plate. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and heat until it starts to brown. Add the sprouts and cook over a high heat until they are brown in colour (3-5minutes). Season with salt and pepper as they cook.

To serve, divide the sprouts between four bowls. Sprinkle over the chestnuts and diced pears. Season the dish with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Finish with some gorgonzola whip in the middle of each bowl.

CURRY OIL

2 teaspoons ground turmeric 2 teaspoons garam masala 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 6 cardamom pods 400ml canola oil

Mix all the spices with the canola oil in a saucepan and cook on a very low heat until the oil is at 80℃-90℃. Cover with a plate and leave to infuse for 4 hours. Drain through a muslin cloth and bottle until needed.

FARRO RISOTTO

250g farro

100g unsalted butter

15ml sherry vinegar, plus extra to season 500ml vegetable stock

150g buffalo ricotta

CAULIFLOWER CRÈME

1 cauliflower (approx 400g), leaves removed 100g butter

To ferment the farro, mix it with 1 litre water in a 2-litre glass jar. Cover with a muslin cloth and fasten with an elastic band, then leave in a warm place to ferment for 3-5 days until nice and funky. Once it is fermented, drain and keep the liquid. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the farro. Cook for 20 minutes (scraping the bottom of the pan every 2 minutes) until the grain is caramelised and smells nutty. Deglaze the pan by adding the sherry vinegar and letting it bubble up, scraping the base of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until dry, turn the heat down a little and add ½ cup of the fermenting liquid to the pan with some salt. Cook until the liquid is gone then add another ½ cup of liquid. Keep doing this adding first the fermenting liquid and then the vegetable stock, until the grain is soft and braised.

For the cauliflower crème, finely slice all florets and the cauliflower core. Keep aside some sliced florets to finish the dish. In a large saucepan, melt the butter until foaming, then add the cauliflower with a good pinch of salt and stir. Cook the cauliflower with a lid on for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. If the cauliflower starts to catch just add little splashes of water to stop it from burning. When soft, put into a blender and blend on full speed until smooth.

When ready to plate, reheat the farro gently with a splash of water and add cauliflower crème to taste. Season with salt, pepper and sherry vinegar. Put into 4 bowls, scatter with the ricotta and reserved cauliflower and season with curry oil.