“The seasonal availability of these two root vegetables makes them natural bedfellows,” says McConnell. “We add puffed wild rice for texture and parmesan for a hit of umami. Be sure to use top-quality parmesan; at Monster we use 24-month-old Parmigiano-Reggiano.”
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Place celeriac, garlic, rosemary and milk in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until celeriac is tender (25-30 minutes). Drain, discarding herbs and reserving milk. Return to pan and purée with a hand-held blender until smooth, adding enough milk to reach a thick consistency that holds its shape. Season to taste and keep warm.
2.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. Spread Jerusalem artichokes in a roasting pan, scatter with butter, thyme and bay leaves, season to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 5 minutes, then remove from oven, turn artichokes and return to oven. Roast, turning artichokes frequently, until evenly caramelised and tender, but with a little crunch (20-25 minutes). Keep warm.
3.Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep saucepan to 200C. Add rice and deep-fry until puffed (20-30 seconds; be careful, hot oil will spit). Remove with a metal sieve and drain on paper towels.
4.To serve, spoon celeriac purée onto a platter, arrange Jerusalem artichokes around and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Using a fine microplane or grater, grate Parmigiano very generously over the top, and scatter with sunflower shoots and puffed rice.
Drink Suggestion: 2013 Mount Majura Chardonnay. Drink suggestion by Michael Gray
Notes