Seven-course Tasting Menu Recipe

In a food processor combine smoked trout, softened cream cheese, light cream, lemon juice, chopped dill, and minced shallot. Pulse until smooth but still slightly textured, scraping down sides as necessary.

Season the mousse with black pepper and taste; add a pinch of salt only if needed (smoked trout is salty). Transfer mousse to a piping bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Slice the English cucumber into 1/3-inch rounds. If desired, hollow a small center in each slice with a melon baller to create a well.

Pipe a small dollop of trout mousse onto each cucumber round. Garnish with a sprig of microgreens and a small flake of dill. Keep chilled until serving.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sweat until translucent, about 3 minutes—do not brown.

Add frozen peas and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes until peas are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in fresh mint leaves and lemon zest. Allow to cool slightly, then blend the mixture in a blender or use an immersion blender until very smooth.

Pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve for an extra-silky texture, then chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 1 hour.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, pour into shooter glasses and top each with a small dollop (about 1 tsp) of Greek yogurt and a tiny mint leaf.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add chopped cauliflower and cook until fork-tender, about 8–10 minutes. Drain, reserving a little cooking liquid.

In a blender combine cooked cauliflower, milk, 50g butter, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Blend until very smooth, adding up to 2–3 tbs reserved cooking liquid for texture. Keep warm over very low heat or reheat gently before plating.

For the brown butter breadcrumbs: melt 20g butter in a small skillet over medium heat until it browns and smells nutty (watch carefully). Add panko breadcrumbs and toast until golden, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in chopped chives, season lightly with salt, then remove from heat and set aside.

Pat scallops dry again just before searing. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add neutral oil. When oil is shimmering, place scallops in skillet spaced apart. Sear without moving until a deep golden crust forms, about 1.5–2 minutes per side depending on size. Turn scallops and sear the other side; they should be opaque in center but slightly translucent (internal temp ~55–60°C).

To plate, spoon a quenelle or small pool of cauliflower purée, place 2–3 scallops per plate, and sprinkle with brown butter breadcrumbs. Finish with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil or a light squeeze of lemon if desired.

If not already roasted: preheat oven to 200°C. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender when pierced, 45–60 minutes depending on size. Cool, peel, and slice very thinly (use a mandoline if available).

Make whipped goat cheese: in a small bowl or using a mini blender whip goat cheese with 2 tbs cream until airy and spreadable. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Arrange thin beet slices on chilled plates, slightly overlapping to create a carpaccio. Dot or pipe small amounts of whipped goat cheese across the beets.

Scatter chopped toasted pistachios and microgreens over the carpaccio. Drizzle with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and a light drizzle of aged balsamic. Finish with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Combine fresh orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and orange zest in a shallow metal or glass pan. Stir to combine and taste; adjust sweetness if necessary.

Place pan in the freezer. After 30–40 minutes, scrape the partially frozen mixture with a fork to break the ice crystals. Repeat scraping every 30 minutes for 2–3 cycles until the mixture is completely granular and light (about 2–3 hours total).

Spoon small portions of granita into chilled glasses as a palate cleanser and keep frozen until served.

Score the skin of the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Season both sides with salt and pepper and let rest at room temperature 15 minutes.

For the sunchoke purée: place chopped sunchokes in a pot and cover with water or a light vegetable/chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain, reserving a small amount of cooking liquid.

Blend cooked sunchokes with 40g butter and 30ml heavy cream until smooth. Add reserved cooking liquid as needed for silky texture. Season with salt and keep warm.

For the cherry gastrique: in a small saucepan combine sugar and cherries over medium heat. Cook until cherries release juices and sugar dissolves, about 5–7 minutes. Add red wine vinegar and simmer to reduce slightly. Add chicken stock and continue to simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5–8 minutes. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness; strain if a smoother sauce is preferred. Keep warm.

Cook the duck: place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold skillet (no oil). Turn heat to medium and render the fat slowly for about 8–10 minutes until skin is deeply golden and most fat has rendered. Flip and cook meat-side 2–4 minutes until medium-rare to medium (internal temp ~58–62°C). Rest the duck 5–7 minutes tented in foil before slicing thinly on the bias.

To plate, spoon a smear of sunchoke purée, fan slices of duck breast on top, and spoon cherry gastrique beside or lightly over the duck. Drizzle with any reserved pan juices and garnish with a few micro herbs if desired.

Compress the pear (optional but recommended): place thin pear slices in a small container, sprinkle with white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt, then weigh down with a small plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the pear to macerate and compress slightly.

Arrange slices of aged cheddar on a chilled plate. Place compressed pear slices alongside the cheese and add small pieces of honeycomb or drizzle honey over the pears and cheese just before serving.

Serve with plain crackers or toasted baguette slices if desired.

Make the raspberry gel: combine raspberries, caster sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until berries break down and release juice, about 6–8 minutes. If you prefer a smoother gel, pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Return strained purée to saucepan and, if using, whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer to thicken slightly, then cool to room temperature and chill.

Make the ganache filling: chop dark chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until just simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in softened butter until glossy.

Spoon or pipe ganache into pre-baked tartlet shells, filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle chopped toasted hazelnuts over the ganache while still warm so they adhere.

Chill tartlets to set the ganache for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, top each tartlet with a small spoonful of chilled raspberry gel and a fresh raspberry or two for garnish.

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.