Salt-Baked Celeriac Fondant with...Salt-Baked Celeriac Fondant with Roasted Shiitake Dashi and Hazelnut Velouté

An exquisite plant-based centerpiece featuring tender, slow-braised celeriac infused with thyme, paired with a deeply caramelized kombu-shiitake reduction, silky cold-pressed hazelnut velouté, and shaved black winter truffle.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the salt crust: combine the flour, coarse sea salt, and roughly 200ml water to form a pliable salt dough. Roll out to 1cm thickness and tightly encase the scrubbed celeriac. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 65 minutes until knife-tender.

2. 02

   Prepare the umami dashi reduction: in a heavy saucepan, steep charred shallots, kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms, and black garlic puree in 750ml filtered water at 80°C for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine chinois, then reduce liquid over low heat by two-thirds until glossy and viscous. Finish with 15g vegan cultured butter to glaze.

3. 03

   Prepare the hazelnut velouté: drain the soaked hazelnuts and blend on high speed with 250ml fresh warm mineral water and a pinch of fine salt until exceptionally silky. Strain through an ultra-fine nut milk bag into a small pot, gently warming before service without boiling.

4. 04

   Crack open the salt crust and peel away the celeriac skin. Using a 6cm round ring cutter, punch out 4 pristine fondants (about 3cm in height).

5. 05

   In a cast-iron skillet, melt the remaining 30g vegan butter with the thyme sprigs over medium heat. Sear the top and bottom of each celeriac fondant until deep golden-brown, basting constantly for 4 minutes.

6. 06

   To plate: place one caramelized celeriac fondant slightly off-center in warmed coupe bowls. Pool the hazelnut velouté around the base, split gently with dots of cold-pressed chive oil. Tableside or before serving, spoon the rich shiitake-black garlic dashi alongside the fondant. Finish with paper-thin shavings of fresh black truffle and Maldon flakes.