A Feast
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
with Black Truffle
Ingredients
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2 Tbs. olive oil
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A decent knob of butter
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2 chopped leeks, white portion only, rinsed well
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4 ribs of celery, chopped fine
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2 heads cauliflower, outer leaves and stalks removed and florets separated into 1-inch pieces
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1 large potato, small diced
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3 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable stock
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3 cups heavy cream
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2 bay leaves
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
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4 sprigs fresh thyme
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Parmesan
Directions
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In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil and butter and sweat the leeks, shallots and celery until translucent.
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Add the diced potato and cauliflower florets and sauté for about 5 minutes.
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Add the stock, cream, bay leaves and thyme, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is very tender (30 - 45 minutes).
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Remove the bay leaves and thyme and using a stick blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until it is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
Ladle the soup into warmed individual bowls and add a few fine shavings of Black Truffle. Stir these in and add a few more for garnish with a pinch of fine-snipped chives.
A little Parmesan can be added but not too much. Serve immediately.
Ale Braised Beef Cheeks with
Truffled Mash and Horseradish
Ingredients
1.5kg Beef Cheeks
1 stalk celery
1/2 carrot
1/2 onion
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
6 pepper corns
2 bottles nice ale
Red wine (to cover)
Potato Mash
750g potato
250ml cream
180g butter
sea salt, white pepper
Beef cheeks
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Trip fat off the beef cheeks and sear in a hot pan with a little oil until a rich dark brown.
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Roughly chop the celery, onion and carrot into large pieces and brown off also.
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Place in an oven proof dish large enough to be about 3/4 filled by all the ingredients and place the beef cheeks, vegetables and all other ingredients including the herbs and beer into the baking dish.
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Top up with red wine to make sure that the beef cheeks are mostly covered. Top with the lid or baking paper and cook at 140°C until very tender and falling apart, about 4 hours.
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Drain through a sieve keeping the braising liquid. Place the liquid in a pot and reduce on the stove top until lightly thickened. Add back to the beef cheeks. Shave some Black Truffle over the top just before serving.
Mash
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Boil the potatoes in some cold water with salt. Drain and then return to the pot and cook on a low heat for 1 minute to dry out.
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Mash the potatoes. Heat the cream and butter together and fold into hot potato, season with salt and white pepper. Add grated truffle to taste.
Serve beef cheeks piping hot with the mash, a decent spoonful of horseradish and fresh greens tangy greens such as watercress, spinach or rocket.
