Salt-Baked Celeriac Pavé with...Salt-Baked Celeriac Pavé with Morel Dashi Glaze and Hazelnut Emulsion

An elevated celebration of earth and forest, featuring layers of slow salt-roasted celeriac pressed into a crisp-seared pavé, resting on a toasted hazelnut emulsion and glossy smoked morel dashi reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Prepare the salt dough by mixing coarse sea salt, flour, and 200ml water until a pliable paste forms. Encase both whole celeriac bulbs completely in the dough and bake for 75 minutes until tender when pierced with a cake tester.

2. 02

   In a saucepan, combine 500ml cold water, kombu, and dried morels. Bring slowly to 80°C (sub-simmer) over 20 minutes, then discard kombu. Simmer gently until reduced to 150ml of deep, savory mushroom stock. Strain, reserving rehydrated morels for serving.

3. 03

   Crack open the salt crusts and discard. Peel the roasted celeriac and slice into uniform 1.5mm sheets using a mandoline. Layer the sheets tightly in a parchment-lined loaf pan, brushing each layer with melted plant-based butter and a pinch of fine salt.

4. 04

   Place a matching pan weighted with culinary weights on top of the layered celeriac. Chill under heavy press in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to create a dense terrine, then slice into neat 3x8 cm pavés.

5. 05

   For the hazelnut emulsion, blend toasted hazelnuts with warm water until a smooth cream forms, then strain through cheesecloth. In a high-speed blender, combine soy milk, hazelnut cream, and truffle oil; slowly stream in grapeseed oil until emulsified into a silky, mayonnaise-like texture. Season with sea salt.

6. 06

   Reduce the morel stock further with minced shallots, thyme, and a knob of plant butter until it forms a glossy, spoon-coating lacquer.

7. 07

   Sear the celeriac pavés in a smoking-hot cast-iron pan with a touch of oil and thyme until a deep golden, caramelized crust develops on top and bottom.

8. 08

   To plate, spoon a pool of warm hazelnut emulsion onto the center of each plate. Place a seared celeriac pavé alongside, spoon the glazed morel reduction around, and crown with trimmed rehydrated morels and fresh wood sorrel.