Pan-Seared Celeriac Steaks with...Pan-Seared Celeriac Steaks with Sunchoke Velvet, Charred Morels, and Truffle-Kombu Glaze

A sophisticated plant-based centerpiece celebrating root vegetables: tender, caramelized celeriac fondant atop an ethereal sunchoke purée, accompanied by crisp wild morels and an umami-dense kombu-truffle reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Truffle-Kombu Glaze: Strain the reserved morel soaking liquid through a fine-mesh cheesecloth into a small saucepan. Add the kombu strip, 1 crushed garlic clove, and 1 sprig of thyme. Simmer gently over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the kombu, and reduce liquid to approximately 60ml. Stir in sherry vinegar and half of the shaved truffle. Season with a pinch of sea salt and set aside.

2. 02

   Create the Sunchoke Velvet: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 40g of vegan butter. Add the sliced sunchokes and half of the minced shallots. Sweat slowly without browning for 8 minutes until translucent. Pour in the oat milk and a splash of water; simmer gently until the sunchokes are completely fork-tender. Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend on maximum speed for 2 minutes until glossy and silky. Season with white pepper and sea salt, pass through a fine sieve (chinois), and keep warm.

3. 03

   Confit and Sear the Celeriac: Vacuum-seal or tightly pouch the celeriac rounds with 30g vegan butter, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 thyme sprigs, and a pinch of salt. Steam or sous-vide at 88°C (190°F) for 35 minutes until just tender. Remove and pat completely dry. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the celeriac rounds undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until deeply golden. Flip, add remaining vegan butter and thyme, and baste continuously (arrosé) for 3 minutes until caramelized on both sides.

4. 04

   Sauté the Morels: In a small pan, heat 10ml olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining minced shallot and rehydrated morels. Sauté for 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly crisped at the edges. Season with salt and a touch of sherry vinegar.

5. 05

   Plating: Spoon a generous pool of hot sunchoke velvet onto the center of each warm plate, using the back of a spoon to create a smooth circular base. Crown each purée base with a caramelized celeriac steak. Arrange the sautéed morels artfully around and atop the celeriac. Drizzle the warm truffle-kombu reduction around the perimeter. Finish with freshly shaved black truffle, micro chervil, and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.