Charred Leeks And White Asparagus, Hazelnuts And Milk Skin

Name: Charred Leeks And White Asparagus, Hazelnuts And Milk Skin
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: Leeks; White asparagus; Maldon salt; Rosemary; Hazelnut oil; Whole milk; Cream; Hazelnuts; Butter; Eggs; Leeks; Peanuts; Grape seed oil; Hazelnut oil; Lemon juice; Salt; Black pepper; Tabasco; Hazelnut oil; Red vein sorrel; Maldon salt

Charred leeks and white asparagus: discover this molecular gastronomy recipe by the famous London-based chef Nuno Mendes and try to make it at home!

BYNuno Mendes,

Chef

01 April, 2012

serves for

total time

1 HR 0 MIN

ingredients

Leeks

4 each, large and soaked in water to remove the dirt

White asparagus

1 bunch

Maldon salt

To taste

Rosemary

1 sprig

Hazelnut oil

15 ml

Whole milk

2 l, fresh

Cream

200 ml

Hazelnuts

200 g, roasted, peeled

Butter

30 gr, salted

Eggs

2, soft boiled

Leeks

As needed, Carbonised

Peanuts

100 g, peeled, roasted

Grape seed oil

200 ml

Hazelnut oil

200 ml

Lemon juice

from 2 lemons

Salt

To taste

Black pepper

To taste

Tabasco

1 dash

Hazelnut oil

To taste

Red vein sorrel

To taste, picked

Maldon salt

To taste

Preparation

Step 01

For Charred vegetables

Grill the leeks until they get quite dark on the outside and vacuum pack them so that they continue to steam and cook through.
Peel the outer layers until the centres are exposed and reserve the outer layers for the ash emulsion.
Cut the leeks into 5cm rounds and season with salt and hazelnut oil.
Peel the white asparagus and trim the tails, season with salt and rosemary and wrap them in aluminium foil.
Roast them in a pan over a low to medium heat until the asparagus is cooked through and begins to char a little bit and also steam at the same time.
Cut the asparagus into 7,5 cm pieces and reserve for plating.

Step 02

For Roasted hazelnuts

In a shallow non-stick pan melt the butter and gently roast the hazelnuts until they become nicely caramelized and golden brown.
Reserve for plating.
Milk skin
Empty the milk into a very wide, deep pot, turn the heat on the lowest setting possible and gently warm the milk up until a skin starts to form on the surface.
Once this skin has thickened slightly, detach it from the sides of the pan with a palette knife and gently lift it from the pan with the tips of your fingers to make sure it doesn't break.
Place it in between pieces of baking paper brushed with single cream.
Repeat this several times until the milk completely evaporates and the skins become too thick and yellow.
Reserve for plating.

Step 03

For Leek ash emulsion

With a hand blender, whisk all of the ingredients together except for the oils in a deep and narrow round container.
Slowly add the mixed oils until everything is smoothly emulsified into a black mayonnaise.
Adjust seasonings and reserve.

Step 04

To finish

Dot some of the leek ash emulsion around a shallow plate, scatter the warm leeks and asparagus around and cover with large pieces of milk skin.
Spoon some roasted cracked hazelnuts around the plate and sprinkle with red vein sorrel.
Season with Maldon salt and drizzle with hazelnut oil.
Serve warm.