Pan-Roasted Maitake Blossom with...Pan-Roasted Maitake Blossom with Smoked Parsnip Silk, Crispy Sunchoke Scales, and Truffled Hazelnut Dashi

An elevated celebration of forest floor botanicals featuring caramelized maitake mushrooms glazed in reduced umami broth, nestled atop ultra-silky smoked parsnip cream and finished with crisp sunchoke scales.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Infuse the Dashi: In a small saucepan, combine 600ml filtered water, kombu, and dried porcini. Bring slowly to 80°C (do not boil) and steep for 25 minutes. Strain through a fine chinois, reserve the liquid, and reduce by half over medium heat with shiro shoyu. Finish by whisking in toasted hazelnut oil off the heat.

2. 02

   Make the Smoked Parsnip Silk: Steam parsnips over high heat until completely tender (about 15 minutes). Transfer immediately to a high-speed blender with oat cream, smoked olive oil, and a generous pinch of fine sea salt. Blend on high for 3 minutes until glossy and silken. Keep warm.

3. 03

   Fry the Sunchoke Scales: Heat 400ml grapeseed oil in a small heavy pot to 165°C. Fry mandolined sunchoke slices in batches until golden and crisp (about 90 seconds). Drain on paper towels and season lightly with fine sea salt.

4. 04

   Sear and Glaze the Maitake: In a cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium-high. Place maitake heads stem-side down and press gently with a parchment-lined heavy weight to ensure even caramelization. Sear for 4 minutes until deeply browned, flip, and baste with 2 tablespoons of the warm truffled dashi until glazed, tender, and intensely aromatic.

5. 05

   Plating: Spoon a generous swipe of hot smoked parsnip silk into the center of four warmed ceramic bowls. Perch the glazed maitake blossom directly atop the purée. Shingle crispy sunchoke scales between the mushroom fronds. Scatter wood sorrel leaves, generously shave fresh black truffle over the top, and pour the warm hazelnut dashi tableside into the base of the bowl.