Charred Maitake Blossom with...Charred Maitake Blossom with Smoked Sunchoke Silk and Black Garlic Jus

An exploration of woodland umami featuring whole roasted, kombu-lacquered maitake mushrooms nestled over a velvety smoked sunchoke purée, accented with an aged black garlic reduction and toasted hazelnut soil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Sunchoke Silk: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, sweat the sliced sunchokes in 30g of vegan butter over medium-low heat with a pinch of sea salt until tender but devoid of color. Pour in the oat milk, simmer gently for 12 minutes until soft, transfer to a high-speed blender, and blend on high until glass-smooth. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.

2. 02

   Craft the Crisps: Pat the reserved sunchoke peelings completely dry. Shallow fry in grapeseed oil heated to 160°C (320°F) until golden and crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and dust immediately with fine salt.

3. 03

   Reduce the Black Garlic Jus: Purée the black garlic cloves with the fortified mushroom stock, tamari, mirin, and apple cider vinegar until homogeneous. Transfer to a small saucepan and reduce over low heat by half until glossy and coating the back of a spoon. Whisk in 20g of cold cultured vegan butter to emulsify.

4. 04

   Roast and Baste the Maitake: Heat 30ml grapeseed oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the whole maitake mushrooms base-side down and press gently with a chef's press or small lid to achieve even contact. Sear for 4 minutes until deeply caramelized and golden-brown.

5. 05

   Flip the mushrooms, add the remaining 30g vegan butter and thyme sprigs to the skillet. Continuously baste the bubbling butter over the mushroom fronds for 4-5 minutes, allowing edges to crisp while keeping the center succulent. Finish with a brush of the black garlic reduction directly onto the fronds.

6. 06

   Plating: Spoon a generous pool of hot smoked sunchoke silk into the center of each warmed ceramic plate, spreading gently with the back of a spoon. Set a glazed maitake blossom proudly in the center. Drizzle concentrated black garlic jus around the perimeter, scatter crushed toasted hazelnuts and crispy sunchoke skins over the mushroom, and garnish with delicate leaves of micro chervil and flakes of fleur de sel.